Bangladesh plans 7th freedom fighter list amid criticism
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
Even after 55 years of independence, the final list of the country’s freedom fighters has not been finalized. So far, six official lists have been prepared by the government.
Once again, the government has announced plans to compile a new list to exclude “fake freedom fighters”. The goal is to verify the list of freedom fighters, rising above political party lines and opinions.
However, this initiative has drawn regret from freedom fighters. They express that the list of freedom fighters changes with every change in government; a new government assumes power and announces yet another list. Describing this as a waste of state funds and their own misfortune, they noted that they have accepted it as their destiny.
Following its victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, the BNP formed the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Ahmed Aazam Khan assumed charge as the minister of Liberation War Affairs, while Ishraque Hossain became the state minister.
On 28 September, the parliamentary standing committee recommended that the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs submit a report after preparing an “accurate list” of martyrs and a “genuine list” of freedom fighters.
In response, on 1 October, the ministry issued a notice regarding the receipt of applications for gazette inclusion in the list of heroic freedom fighters, with 7 October marking the deadline for submission. A meeting was held also in the ministry to determine the strategy and actionable steps for formulating a genuine list of martyrs, freedom fighters, and Birangonas.
Representatives of various professions, journalists, writers, intellectuals, freedom fighters, and leaders across different levels attended the meeting, though no top-tier leaders from the Jatiotabadi Muktijoddha Dal were present.
Political shifts and new verification drive
Following the meeting, citing the necessity of preparing a new list, Minister Azam said discussions inside parliament, outside parliament, and on the streets have repeatedly highlighted that thousands of non-freedom fighters have been included alongside those who actually fought in the Liberation War 1971.
He added that there is also significant controversy surrounding the list of martyrs, which the ministry is addressing. He noted, “If we can correctly extract the list of freedom fighters by rising above party affiliations and opinions, we will be able to free ourselves from the debt of history. The process of excluding individuals listed as non-freedom fighters has also begun. However, it is not possible to specify right now how much time that process will take.”
The definition and verification of freedom fighters re-emerged as a major topic after the fall of the Awami League on 5 August 2024, amid the July uprising. When the interim government took office, Faruk-e-Azam (Bir Protik) was appointed as the adviser to the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.
Then the Jatio Muktijoddha Council (JAMUKA) was reconstituted. JAMUKA carries out the task of defining freedom fighters, preparing, and amending the list. An ordinance redefining the criteria for a freedom fighter was created there, which was later enacted into law during the government’s term.
Stakeholders alleged that political motivations are the primary reason the list of freedom fighters cannot be finalized. Changes in the list alongside changes in government have effectively become a routine occurrence. Officially, six lists have been produced to date, and with every new list, the total number of freedom fighters has risen, while a substantial number of names were dropped from previous lists.
The numbers in these lists ranged from a minimum of 70,896 to a maximum exceeding 2,00,000. Although the list remains unfinalized, the number of gazetted freedom fighters stands at 1,97,800, of whom 196,454 receive a monthly allowance of Tk 20,000 each.
Chronology of six official lists
A review of post-war publications by sector commanders and sub-sector commanders indicates that the regular forces in the Liberation War numbered 24,800, while the irregular forces totaled 1,10,000, making a combined total of 1,34,800.
However, following the dissolution of wartime sectors, documents transferred to the East Bengal Regiment’s training and record preservation institution (EBRC) recorded the number at 70,896, with no trace of the remaining individuals from the earlier count. This document was later preserved at the Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust and became known as the Indian List.
Later, after 1978, former president Ziaur Rahman initiated efforts to compile a new list, assigning the task to then army chief Hussain Muhammad Ershad. That list was published in 1986 during Ershad’s regime as the National List, containing 1,02,458 names, though it was never officially gazetted.
Then, in 1994 under BNP rule, 86,000 individuals were listed as freedom fighters in the voter index list of the Muktijoddha Sansad.
During the Awami League tenure (1996-2001), a fourth list was published containing 1,86,790 names, known as Muktibarta (Green). Following further scrutiny, another list of 1,58,452 names was prepared, known as Muktibarta (Red).
Upon assuming power in 2001, the BNP-Jamaat coalition government established the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs and departed from previous policy by setting up a committee headed by the cabinet secretary.
Based on this committee’s recommendations, upazila and district verification committees comprising UNOs and DCs were formed, bypassing the Muktijoddha Sangsad. The committees recommended anyone whose name appeared in any two prior lists, and those recommended were recognized as freedom fighters.
As a result, two gazettes were published in 2003 and 2004 - a special gazette listing 39,000 military freedom fighters and another gazette listing 1,59,000, bringing the total to 1,98,000.
When the Awami League returned to power in 2009, it alleged that over 70,000 fake freedom fighters had been enlisted during the coalition government’s tenure. Over the next 15 and a half years of Awami League rule, the count of freedom fighters fluctuated repeatedly.
In March 2021, an incomplete list of 1,47,537 heroic freedom fighters was published, but despite assurances, a full list was never released. Former Liberation War Affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque had said the figure in a complete list would not exceed 1,90,000.
