THE Mohammad Yunus-led interim Government of Bangladesh has enacted a new ordinance that alters the definition of “freedom fighter” (Bir Muktijoddha).Thisdecisionhas resulted in the revocation of the status forBangabandhu Sheikh MujiburRahmanandmorethan 400 other notable individuals from the country’s 1971 Liberation War. Theordinance,amendingthe National Freedom Fighters Council Act and redefining the term freedom fighters, issued on Tuesday night mentioned thatallMembersoftheNational Assembly(MNAs)andMembers of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) whowereaffiliated with the wartime provisional Government of Bangladesh (Mujibnagar Government) and later regarded as members of the post-war constituent Assembly will from now on be considered as “associates of the Liberation War” rather than “freedom fighters.”

 

Additionally, the associates under the new category also included the professionals who stayed abroad and contributed to the Liberation War and the Bangladeshi citizens who were instrumental in shaping global opinions;peoplewhoworkedas officials and employees of the Government of Bangladesh (Mujibnagar Government) formed during the liberation war,physicians,nursesandother assistants employed by the Mujibnagar Government. Furthermore, all the artists and crew members of Swadhin Bangla BetarKendra and all the Bangladeshi journalists in and outsideofthecountrywhowere actively involved in supporting theLiberationWarandSwadhin Bangla Football Team also fell under the definition, Bangladeshi leading daily ‘Prothom Alo’ reported.

 

The ordinance will now affect the status of ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, former Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad,formeractingPresident Syed Nazrul Islam Tajuddin Ahmad, and more than 400 others who were members of the constituent Assembly and until now were recognised as freedom fighters. According to the new ordinance, the Liberation War is defined as “The war waged from March 26 to December 16, 1971, to establish equality, human dignity and social justice for the people of Bangladesh as an independent democratic state against the invading and occupying Pakistani armed forces and their collaborators -- the Razakars, Al-Badr, Al-Shams, Muslim League, Jamaat-eIslami, Nezame-Islam, and the Peace Committee.”