At a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity, they said the corrupt leaders of Muktijoddha Sangsad plundered crores of taka by embezzling freedom fighters' allowance, and listing non-freedom fighters as freedom fighters in exchange of money.

Gono Parishad leaders demanded election of honest, competent and actual freedom fighters through a free and fair election in Muktijoddha Sangsad to restore the lost glory and dignity of freedom fighters.

In a written statement, Sadek Ahmed Khan, secretary general of the parishad, said successive corrupt rules and dishonest politicisations destroyed all the values and achievements of the liberation war.

He said politicians in the last 36 years engaged themselves in plundering state assets instead of paying heed to peoples' problem that resulted an anarchic situation in the country.

Giving a strong support to present government's anti-corruption drive, he said anybody found corrupt, whatever powerful hey or she may be, should be brought to justice, their assets should be confiscated and they should be barred from contesting the general election.

He also demanded immediate arrest and trial of those who are responsible for making the country five-time champion in corruption.

"Politics and corruption are not synonymous, and the anti-corruption drive should be aimed at punishing the corrupt people," Sadek said urging people to extend their cooperation in stumping out corruption.

Parishad President Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat said though the government has taken many bold steps to remove corruption from many institutions they are yet to take any action against the Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad which was crippled due to corrupt and politicised leadership.

"We want the freedom fighters' organisation to be run by honest, competent and actual freedom fighters as widespread corruption and politicisation in the last 20 years denigrated the dignity of the freedom fighters," he added.

He called for taking immediate action against all corrupts, plunderers, illegal grabbers and godfathers ignoring their identity by putting them on trial and giving them exemplary punishment.

Language veteran Abdul Matin, war-maimed Nuru Mia and Parishad Vice-president MA Shahid Bablu also spoke.