Why 40 Pabna FFs' names not in gazette: HC

The High Court yesterday 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 why its failure to do so should not be declared illegal. The court also asked it to show cause why it should not be directed to include their names in the official gazette.

The 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.

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 on November 26, 2004 to treat 70 as freedom fighters, who have provisional certificates and taken training from India during the 1971 Liberation War.

But, the ministry included the names of only 16 of the 70 in the gazette notification on September 19, 2011, he said.

Toufiq said 40 of the 54 deprived freedom fighters filed the writ petition with the HC on April 3 saying that the government's action with his clients was discriminatory and illegal.