Freedom fighter’s decade-long fight ends

After a decade-long battle, Nripendra Nath Roy is now a freedom fighter officially.

The 72-year-old Roy joined the War of Liberation when he was around 20 years old.

Under sub-sector commander Capt Iqbal of sector number-6, he fought in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, and Nilphamari region until the country was free from the enemy.

His name was also included in the freedom fighters' list compiled in India in 1971 by Bangladesh's first government in exile.

But due to a couple of callous errors made during the process of issuing his national identity (NID) card in 2008, he was deprived of the allowance given to freedom fighters.

For the woodcutter at a sawmill in Nilphamari, this allowance would have made his life a lot better and could have even saved his wife Shukurani, who died without treatment from a prolonged illness.

"These errors in my NID card brought disaster to my life," said Roy, who hails from Chowki Bhajini village in Debiganj upazila of Panchagarh.

Not only was his year of birth changed to 1960 from 1951, but his nickname Sinial was also added next to his full name on the NID.

Since then, the elderly man has been trying to get the error corrected. He paid numerous visits to different government offices but in vain.

His sufferings came to the notice of different quarters after The Daily Star on March 22, 2021, published a news titled 'Freedom fighter toils away without recognition' describing his tribulations.

A local journalist Rawshan Alam Pappu helped him complete the forensic test needed to change the age for NIDs.

Mohammad Kamrul Islam Chowdhury, director of the Department of Social Services, also helped him get the error corrected in his NID card and connected Roy with the relevant officials of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.

Finally, on April 10, the ministry issued a circular recognising him as a freedom fighter and announcing his allowance.

Accordingly, Roy has withdrawn Tk 20,000 as allowance for the month of May.

"It would not be possible for me to get the recognition with their [Pappu and Kamrul] cooperation. I am really grateful to them," said Roy, who has been residing in Poschim Boragari Bottoli village in Domar upazila of Nilphamari since 1973.

A joyous atmosphere was found when the correspondent called on Roy at his home on Saturday as his battlefield mates -- Monoronjan Roy, Swadesh Roy and Biswanath Roy -- came to visit him.

Roy no longer works. But, he has preserved his axe in his living room.

"This axe acted as my saviour during my hard days. Now, I am overwhelmed by boundless joy. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the government. I am thankful to those who helped me get the recognition," he said.