The High Court has directed the government to take necessary steps to recognise the people who had received training inside the country for the purpose of participating in 1971 Liberation War, as freedom fighters.

The court ordered the authorities concerned of the government to involve them in the definition of the freedom fighter contained in the 2016 gazette notification.

The HC bench of Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque came up with the directive yesterday (Monday) following a writ petition filed seeking necessary order to this effect.

While delivering the verdict, the virtual HC bench observed that those who participated in the Liberation War, have rights to get acknowledgment as freedom fighters and such acknowledgement is not a courtesy.

The court also directed the liberation war affairs ministry to include the names of 26 writ petitioners as freedom fighters and to publish a gazette notification to this effect in 90 days.

Deputy Attorney General Sheikh Saifuzzaman told The Daily Star that in the definition of the freedom fighters of the 2016 gazette, only those people who had received training outside the country for the purpose of the country's Liberation War have been included as freedom fighters.

Lawyers Mohammad Ahsan, Emdadul Haque and Belayet Hossain appeared for the writ petitioners.