A list of MNAs and MPAs elected in 1970 who sided with Pakistan will also be prepared, along with the Razakars, Al Badr, and Al Shams forces. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has submitted a report to Parliament, including the preparation of the list, after examining the 'National Freedom Fighters Council Bill'.
On Monday (June 27), parliamentary committee chairman Shajahan Khan presented the report in parliament.
On June 6, the 'National Freedom Fighters Council Bill-2022' was introduced in Parliament by Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque. Later, the bill was sent to a parliamentary committee to examine and report to Parliament.
The bill introduced in parliament states, "From March 26, 1971 to December 16, 1971, those who were involved in activities as members of the Razakar, Al-Badr, Al-Shams forces during the Great Liberation War or were involved in activities as members of paramilitary forces or were engaged in armed warfare as members of paramilitary forces and opposed the independence and liberation war of Bangladesh or committed war crimes by killing innocent people through criminal and heinous acts of murder, rape, looting, arson, or directly, actively or indirectly opposed the independence and liberation war of Bangladesh through a single or joint or party decision, will be sent to the government for recommendation to prepare a list and publish it in the Gazette."
The parliamentary committee has recommended making a provision for preparing a list of members of the 'Mujahid Bahini' and the 'Peace Committee'. It has also recommended preparing a list of MNAs and MPAs who were elected in the 1970 elections and sided with Pakistan and those elected by the Pakistan government in the by-elections to the seats declared vacant due to their sided with Bangladesh.
The bill introduced in Parliament states that the definition of a brave freedom fighter from the Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust Act will be adopted in this Act. The parliamentary committee has added that definition to the clause of the bill.
The eight members of the council will nominate the chief advisor, who will be heroic freedom fighters, individuals associated with liberation war activities, or members of the families of freedom fighters.
The advisory council will include the Minister of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs. It has been proposed to include five members nominated by the Chief Advisor, including Force Commanders, Sub-Sector Commanders or Commanders who are prominent freedom fighters of the Liberation War, any prominent person involved in these activities or members of the families of freedom fighters. In addition, the Secretary of the Ministry will also be on this council.
The council will be able to grant, temporarily suspend, and cancel the registration of all organizations related to the Liberation War and freedom fighters.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs drafted the National Freedom Fighters Council Bill in 2019. Recommendations were also taken at an inter-ministerial meeting on December 29 that year. In March 2020, the law was sent to the Bangla Language Implementation Cell of the Ministry of Public Administration for revision of its language.
The draft was approved in principle with two amendments at a cabinet meeting in December 2020. It was sent to the cabinet meeting last June for final approval.
The draft law was given final approval in January this year.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs formed a sub-committee in 2020 to prepare a list of Razakars. The committee initially decided to publish the list of Razakars. Later, after the draft law went to the cabinet, they changed their decision. Last April, the previous committee was dissolved and a new sub-committee was reconstituted.
