Mohiuddin Alamgur
The government decision of lowering to twelve and a half years the minimum age to be eligible as a freedom fighter has drawn huge flak from freedom fighters.
They find the decision ‘unnecessary’, ‘illogical’ and ‘unfortunate’ and fear it will only add to the debate over status and listing of freedom fighters.
Freedom fighters as well as 1971 liberation war organisers, talking to New Age, have observed that yet another change in the age limit for becoming freedom fighters will lead only to an increased number of fake freedom fighters.
They think that this ‘debatable’ decision will undermine the position of freedom fighters in society.
The government on January 17 issued a gazette notification fixing the minimum age at twelve and a half years, down from 13, to be eligible for becoming a freedom fighter. People who were at least 12 and a half years old on November 30, 1971 will be eligible for applying for inclusion in the list of freedom fighters.
‘This decision is illogical and unacceptable,’ freedom fighter Zafrullah Chowdhury said, adding, ‘It is really absurd as the next government may lower it to 10 years.’
‘Situation has reached such a level that everyone who was born in 1971 should be considered freedom fighter as the foetus inside womb had inspired the mother and after birth the baby inspired all throwing its hands and legs,’ said Gonoshasthaya Kendra trustee Zafrullah, with sarcasm in his tone.
The government issued gazette notification in line with a decision made at a meeting of Jatiya Muktijoddha Council in October last year. It on June 19 that year issued a gazette notification fixing 13 years as the minimum age for an eligible freedom fighter. In 2014, the minimum age limit was fixed at 15 years.
Dhaka University professor emeritus Aniszuzzman said that he was not aware of the reasons for lowering the minimum age limit for a freedom fighter. ‘But it is really unfortunate that debate over minimum age limit, definition and list of freedom fighter still exists in society,’ he regretted.‘I do not see any way out of this debate. We already got into the debate, which haunted us for long,’ said Professor Aniszuzzman.
The nation is still in dark about the actual number of freedom fighters as successive governments could not prepare a comprehensive list in the past 46 years and provided differing figures.
Jatiya Muktijoddha Council initiated the latest move in October 2014 to have an authentic list of freedom fighters but was yet to complete scrutiny of over 1.42 lakh applications for inclusion in the list. The government at that time had set 15 years during the liberation war as the minimum age limit for being considered a freedom fighter.
‘Changes of minimum age limit show that government is still in indecision, which created chaos,’ said Communist Party of Bangladesh president Mujahidul Islam Selim, also a freedom fighter. ‘It is really unfortunate that such thing is happening as regards the freedom fighters, who should get the due of all,’ he said, blaming successive governments for the current situation.
Former Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Kendriya Command Council chairman Abdul Ahad Chowdhury criticised the decision terming it ‘illogical’.
‘Freedom fighters as well as people have not taken the decision positively as they do not find any logic for it,’ he stressed.
‘Fake freedom fighters would get advantage from the decision,’ Ahad said.
‘It is true that some boys took part in the liberation war and Jatiya Muktijoddha Council can make special arrangements for them following due legal procedures,’ Ahad proposed, opposing wholesale lowering of age limit for all freedom fighter.
Sector Commanders Forum Liberation War 1971 secretary general Harun Habib also proposed a special provision for juvenile freedom fighter whose percentage was nominal. ‘It is really an unfortunate decision and such things might give negative impression about freedom fighters in society,’ he warned.
Freedom fighter and cultural activist Nasiruddin Yousuff, however, said that the government decision of lowering minimum age was acceptable as it was taken to include all freedom fighter in the listing process.
Rights activist and freedom fighter Sultana Kamal refused to make any comments regarding government’s decision to lower the minimum age to be eligible as a freedom fighter.
- Courtesy: New Age/Jan 20, 2018
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