Widow striving for recognition of husband as FF

For the last four decades since the country's independence, Sufia Bewa has been waging a battle for the official enrolment of her husband as a freedom fighter.

Amzad Hossain, a railway booking clerk, was killed by the Pakistani occupation army on April 28 during the Liberation War, the 75-year-old widow said.

She urged the prime minister to arrange for the recognition of her husband as a martyred freedom fighter. 

"I feel proud of my husband who sacrificed his life for the country's independence," said Sufia who lives with her two children in Noubaria village of Pabna's Bhangura upazila.

"As the widow of a martyr I did not get married again," she said. "I have already passed the hard times in my life; there is no new demand. Still I wait for the recognition."  The sacrifice of Amzad Hossain was not entirely forgotten, though.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wrote a letter to Sufia recognising the sacrifice of her husband and sent her a cheque for Tk 2,000 as assistance in 1973.

She showed the testimonial to the Mukijoddha Sangsad but they did not put Amzad's name on the list of freedom fighters, Sufia alleged.

She said her husband, who worked at Nachol railway station in Chapainawabganj at that time, left for India with some others to train as freedom fighters. But he was caught and slain by the Pakistani army in Rohonpur-Singabad border area, she added.

Sufia's younger son, Md Sayed Ali, teaches at a government primary school.

Commander of Bhangura Upazila Muktijoddha Sangsad Md Moksed Ali said Amzad was one of the 30 lakh martyrs; so Bangabandhu sent a donation to the family.

"He didn't fight in the battlefield. He was in service in railway... So his name was not included in the list of freedom fighters," he told The Daily Star.