Many ‘fake’ freedom fighters receiving state allowances, minister tells parliament

Many people, who have falsely claimed to be freedom fighters, continue to enjoy government allowances by obtaining court orders, Liberation War Affairs Minister Mozammel Haque told parliament yesterday.“It is shameful for our nation that fake freedom fighters are still receiving allowances. It is true. Because when we tried to drop their names from the list, the court stayed the scrutiny of freedom fighter lists before completion of the scrutiny process,” he said.The court also ordered to continue the allowances to those people even though the government stopped the allowance initially after finding fake names in the scrutiny process, he said, replying to a supplementary question from Jatiya Party lawmaker Nurul Islam Milon.“So we’re obliged to provide the allowance; it is unfortunate and we continue the legal fight in the court to review and withdraw such order,” the minister said.He said cases are being filed with the court on grounds of violation of fundamental rights as the court considered recognition as freedom fighter a fundamental right. “But it is not a fundamental right. Those who fought in the 1971 Liberation War and took part with arms will be freedom fighters. It is not an equal right to all citizens.”“We’re in trouble due to misinterpretation of law. I would like to draw attention of the court from the legislature that becoming freedom fighter is not a fundamental right of any citizen. Only those who took part in the Liberation War will be freedom fighters,” Mozammel said. In reply to another supplementary question from Jatiya Party lawmaker Kazi Firoz Rashid, the minister said the court ordered him to include even a man, who had been only four years old in 1971, in the list of freedom fighters.“We’ve asked the court how we can make a four-year-old child as a freedom fighter. The court even ordered to provide him with the arrears of 23 years,” he said.He hoped that they do not face such embarrassing situation in the future as they continue their best efforts contesting the legal battle. Answering a supplementary question, the minister said the government is yet to prepare 12 sub-district-level lists of freedom fighters. The government has decided to bring the grandchildren of freedom fighters under the 30% quota facility in government jobs.