United News of Bangladesh

Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan on Thursday told Parliament that 13,324 July warriors are now receiving monthly honorarium and the process of bringing the remaining July fighters under the allowance programme is underway.   “Out of the total 14,369 people gazetted as July Warriors, 13,344 are being given monthly allowance (Tk 20,000 per person for A-class, Tk 15,000 per person for B-class, Tk 10,000 per person for C-class) through their own bank accounts. The process of giving the allowance to the remaining July Warriors is underway,” he said. The Minister said this while replying to a scripted question from opposition lawmaker Rokeya Begum (Women Seat-45) in the House. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad tabled the question-and-answer session, immediately after the day’s business started in the afternoon. Azam Khan focused on the government’s long-term plans for medical rehabilitation, employment and monthly honorarium for the fighters injured in the July uprising He said a database of 3,241 interested persons has been created for the welfare and rehabilitation of the families of July martyrs and July fighters. Out of this, a list of 1,937 persons have been sent to the Ministry of Youth and Sports for training and rehabilitation. 478 persons already dropped from list of freedom fighters: In reply to a starred question from treasury bench member Mostafizur Rahman Babul (Jamalpur-3), the Liberation War Affairs Minister said 478 names have already been removed from the list of freedom fighters. Noting that the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council was reconstituted and four sub-committees comprised of members of the Council are now scrutinising genuine freedom fighters, war-wounded freedom fighters and martyred freedom fighters. “Already, the gazette/red notice/Indian list of 478 people have been cancelled. More cancellations are in process,” he said. Besides, Azam Khan said the applications from freedom fighters who could not be listed yet are being scrutinized. 6,787 martyred FFs in Bangladesh gazette: Responding to another starred question from ruling party lawmaker Ruhul Amin Dulal (Pirojpur-3), the Liberation War affairs Minister said the names of 6,787 martyred freedom fighters were included in the Bangladesh gazette. “The names of 6,787 people, who had participated in the 1971 Liberation War and were martyred, have been included in the Bangladesh Gazette,” he said. He said the government is positive for the preparation of a list of victims to genocide during the Liberation War and the programme will be taken in phases. In reply to a starred question from BNP lawmaker Faridul Kabir Talukder (Jamalpur-4), the minister said the current government has increased the monthly honorarium by Tk 5000 for a gallantry title-winning freedom fighter in the upcoming 2026-2027 fiscal year. The monthly honorarium would be Tk 40,000 for the families of a Bir Shrestho recipient, Tk 30,000 for Bir Uttam recipient, Tk 25,000 for Bir Bikram recipient and Tk 25,000 Bir Pratik recipient.

Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan on Wednesday told Parliament that the official recognition of 481 non-freedom fighters were rebuked since August, 2024 following recommendations from the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council (Jamuka). “Based on complaints, the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council conducted verification and investigations and based on its recommendations, the ministry cancelled the gazette notifications, Lal Muktibarta and Indian lists of 481 individuals,” he said. The minister made the remarks responding to questions from NCP lawmaker Akhter Hossen and ruling party lawmaker Md Jahander Ali Miha (Madaripur-2) during the question-and-answer session in the House. In his question, Akhter asked whether any steps would be taken against alleged fake freedom fighters, noting that various media reports and government reviews suggest that out of around 250,000 gazetted freedom fighters more than 100,000 people are fake freedom fighters. The Liberation War Affairs Minister said that since August 2024, a total of 842 complaints related to non-freedom fighters have been forwarded to Jamuka for scrutiny. He said when allegations are received, a subcommittee formed with members of the council conduct investigations and hearings. If an individual is proven not to be a genuine freedom fighter, recommendations are made to cancel their gazette status, he said. Ahmed Azam said the process of reviewing such complaints is ongoing and a regular function of Jamuka. “If any allegation is raised against a listed freedom fighter, it will be verified through investigation and hearing, and if proven false, the name will be recommended for removal from the list,” he added. ‘Fifth Primary Education Development Programme’ to begin July 1: PM He also informed the House that since its establishment, Jamuka has held 103 meetings and recommended cancellation of gazette status for a total of 6,465 persons. In reply to a starred question from treasury bench lawmaker AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon (Noakhali-1), the minister said there are currently 198,037 recognised freedom fighters in the country, according to the integrated database maintained in the ministry’s Management Information System (MIS). He further said that each freedom fighter receives a monthly honorarium of Tk 20,000, two festival allowances of Tk 10,000 each annually and a Pahela Baishakh allowance of Tk 2,000 and also a Victory Day allowance of Tk 5,000 for living freedom fighters. The minister, however, said that there is currently no plan under government consideration to increase the honorarium for freedom fighters.

Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan on Tuesday told Parliament that the government is working to identify and correct anomalies committed in the list of freedom fighters and their allowance disbursement during the regime of the ‘fascist’ government. “We’re working on it. I would like to assure the MP that we’ll present it (these anomalies and authentic list) before the nation completing our work soon,” he said, while replying to a supplementary question from treasury bench lawmaker Zainul Abdin Farroque (Noakhali-2) in the House. Earlier, Tuesday's sitting began at 3:30pm with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad in the chair. Ahmed Azam Khan sworn in as Minister BNP MP Zainul Abdin Farroque in his question said an investigation could reveal whether there is the existence of even a single structure of upazila-level Muktijoddha Bhaban constructed in the last 17 years and many BNP-minded freedom fighters were deprived of allowances at that time. The lawmaker wanted to know if any step would be taken in this regard. In reply, the Liberation War Affairs Minister said his ministry received many allegations in this regard and the Liberation War Affairs Ministry is working on this issue. He said many freedom fighters were deprived of allowances during the fascist government. “Their freedom fighter certificates were suspended and many genuine freedom fighters were harassed in many ways. And many fake freedom fighters were incorporated in the list and given allowances and other illegal facilities,” he said.