FFs to travel free in buses, trains: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addresses a programme organised at Senakunja in Dhaka Cantonment on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day Saturday. Photo: PID UNB, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the freedom fighters would be soon allowed to travel free in buses, trains and launches.

A process is underway to declare all national award-winning and war-wounded freedom fighters as the Very Important Persons (VIPs), she added.

Sheikh Hasina, who is also in-charge of the defence ministry, was addressing a reception accorded to gallantry award-winning freedom fighters and their successors at Senakunja in Dhaka Cantonment marking the Armed Forces Day 2009.

The reception was attended by 35 freedom fighters from the three services and 11 civil freedom fighters and their successors.

The PM said the Awami League that had spearheaded the Liberation War along with the patriotic people of Bangladesh always worked for the welfare of the freedom fighters and their families.

During the 1996-2001 tenure, she said, the then Awami League government introduced allowance for freedom fighters, quota facilities for their children in government jobs and many other welfare activities, including preserving memories of the Liberation War.

She said the Awami League government has kept the process on in its present tenure as well.

Hasina said the state allowance for 7,838 freedom fighters under the Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust and martyred families has been increased by 40 percent while the number of freedom fighters receiving underprivileged allowance has also been increased to 1.25 lakh from the previous 1 lakh and their allowance has also been increased to Tk 1500 from 900.

The government has increased medical allowances for the war-wounded freedom fighters apart from taking a programme for providing rations to the martyred and wounded freedom fighters' families.

During the last fiscal, Tk 108 crore was given in allowance to 1 lakh underprivileged freedom fighters while Tk 72 lakh was given in financial assistance to 1,480 freedom fighters for marrying off their daughters and meeting the medical, educational and house building expenses, the prime minister said.

The other steps taken by the government included free transport facilities for freedom fighters of 65 years of age and above, modern training for the children of the freedom fighters to build them as skilled human resources and keeping aside 30 percent quota in government and semi-government jobs for their children.

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