Why 40 freedom fighters not included in gazette, HC questions

The High Court today questioned the legality of the government’s action of not including the names of 40 freedom fighters of Pabna’s Sujanagar upazila in the gazette notification.

The court issued a rule asking the government to explain in four weeks as to why its failure to include names of the freedom fighters in the gazette notification should not be declared illegal.

In the rule, the court also asked it to show cause as to why it should not be directed to include their names in the official gazette.

The HC bench of Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and Justice Md Khasruzzaman came up with the rule after hearing a writ petition filed by the 40 freedom fighters challenging the legality of the government action of not including their names in the notification.

Secretary to the ministry of liberation war affairs, president and secretary of national freedom fighters council and deputy commissioner of Pabna have been made respondents to the rule, petitioners’ lawyer Toufiq Inam told The Daily Star.

He said the district selection committee of Pabna recommended the ministry of liberation war affairs on November 26, 2004 to treat 70 freedom fighters, who have provisional certificates and taken training from India during the country’s Liberation War in 1971.

But, the ministry included the names of only 16 of 70 freedom fighters in the gazette notification on September 19, 2011, he said, adding that the 54 freedom fighters have been “deprived” due to the ministry’s action.

Toufiq said 40 of 54 deprived freedom fighters have filed the writ petition with the HC on April 3 saying that the government action with his clients is “discriminatory and illegal”.

A freedom fighter is treated as real freedom fighter, gets some benefits including monthly allowance and honour from the state if his or her name is included in the gazette notification, he said.