BNP demands list of 1971 martyrs

BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan yesterday demanded that the government prepare a list of Liberation War martyrs like that of freedom fighters.

“There is a list of freedom fighters, those of us who fought in the Liberation War. We are receiving honourarium.

Should we not honour the martyrs also?”

Protesting against sedition charges brought against BNP chief Khaleda Zia for her remarks on the number of martyrs, Nazrul also said Khaleda had not mentioned any number in her speech.

“People will not accept the case.”

The BNP policymaker was speaking at a meeting organised by Dhaka city Jatiya Gonotantrik Party, a member of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, at the Photojournalists Association auditorium in the capital.

The meeting was called to protest the sedition case filed against Khaleda on January 25 by Momtaz Uddin Ahmad Mehedi, a Supreme Court lawyer and member of the ruling Awami League's central committee, with approval of the home ministry.

In the case statement, Mehedi alleged that Khaleda at a programme on December 21 last year said, “There are controversies over exactly how many were martyred in the Liberation War. There are also many books and documents on the controversies.”