Working on 'accurate' list of freedom fighters

Policymakers on Wednesday stressed the need for accurate, impartial and error-free lists of martyrs, freedom fighters and Birangonas to establish the history of the Liberation War on a factual and universally accepted basis.

Speaking at a discussion organised by the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs in Dhaka, they called for a national database based on documentary evidence, official and military records, wartime archives, eyewitness accounts, local-level data and research, rather than emotion, assumptions or fragmented information.

They also stressed the need to preserve testimonies of eyewitnesses and people with direct wartime experience and called for grassroots-level data collection involving freedom fighters, families, administrators, researchers and students.

Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan said accurately preserving and presenting the history of the Liberation War for future generations is the state’s moral and historical responsibility.

Acknowledging longstanding allegations of irregularities and the inclusion of non-freedom fighters in official lists, he said the ministry is working to prepare accurate lists of freedom fighters, martyrs and Biranganas.

State Minister Ishraque Hossain said the Liberation War is the foundation of Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty, leaving no room for ambiguity or inaccuracy in recognising freedom fighters, martyrs and Biranganas.

He stressed that the listing and verification process must be carried out with utmost caution and impartiality.

Speakers also called for combining local knowledge with institutional records, re-verifying existing documents and preserving sources and verification processes to build a sustainable national archive.

They said the list of martyrs should cover not only fallen freedom fighters but also civilians, teachers, students, intellectuals, women and others killed by Pakistani occupation forces and their collaborators.
They also stressed documenting the broader participation of people in the Liberation War while ensuring distinct state recognition and honour for those who directly took up arms.

Among others, Liberation War Affairs Secretary Md Ashraful Islam, North South University Professor Salimullah Khan, Bangladesh Open University Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan, Dhaka University Professor Sukomal Barua and Jugantor Editor Abdul Hai Shikder spoke at the meeting.

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