Probe reasons for not paying allowance to Barishal freedom fighters: HC

The High Court today directed the liberation war affairs secretary to form an inquiry committee in four weeks to find out as to why one-month’ allowance was not paid to the freedom fighters in Barishal.

In response to a writ petition, the HC also ordered the [liberation war affair] secretary to submit a probe report before it after the inquiry is completed.

The court also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain in four weeks why their inaction to pay the allowance to 6,456 freedom fighters in Barishal in a month within the period of January to March of the fiscal year 2014-2015 should not be declared.  

The liberation war affairs secretary and the deputy commissioner of Barishal have been made respondents to the rule. 

The HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kadercame up with the rule and order after hearing a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Amit Dasgupta challenging the respondents’ inaction to pay the allowance to the freedom fighters.

He submitted the petition to the HC on January 3 seeking necessary order on the respondents following a report published on the daily Prothom Alo on January 2 over the allegation of misapplication of the money amounting to around Tk 4 crore as one month’s allowance of Barishal’s 6,456 freedom fighters. 

Advocate Amit Dasgupta himself moved the petition, while Deputy Attorney General ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar represented the state.