‘Minister can’t avoid his responsibility’

Several MPs yesterday in parliament strongly criticised Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, saying the minister cannot avoid responsibility for publishing the flawed list of Razakers.

“It cannot say directly that the Liberation War affairs ministry has no responsibility [for publishing the faulty list of collaborators]. It is responsibility of this ministry to verify the authenticity of the list no matter from where it was collected,” ruling Awami League lawmaker Mouazzam Hossain Ratan said.

He made this remarks in a supplementary question during the question-answer session.

Ratan said the government’s role came under question due to inconsistency in some cases regarding the list of collaborators of the Pakistani occupation army during the Liberation War.

“We, the pro-liberation force, got hurt severely… even the name of real Razakars were not included in the list,” he added.

He also questioned whether the list of actual Razakars would be disclosed before Independence Day [March 26].

In reply, the minister said they have withdrawn the list, expressing regrets about the flaws in it.

“We’ll publish the list in future after thorough scrutiny and taking cooperation from all quarters to prevent recurrence of errors,” he said.

In reply to a starred question from AL lawmaker Md Faridul Haque Khan, Mozammel said his ministry did not prepare the list of collaborators, rater the Public Security Division of the home ministry sent it to his ministry as per its requirement.

“We published the list as it was. Since the Liberation War affairs ministry did not prepare the list, the home ministry can take action against laxity of anyone, if any, in this regard,” said Mozammel.

Another senior AL MP Maj (Retd) Rafiqul Islam reiterated that the minister will have to take responsibility, as he published the list. He said the minister couldn’t collect the list of authentic collaborators yet.

“I think he will not be able to do it. Because, I have been hearing the same words for the last five years,” said Rafiqul Islam.

Gonoforum MP Sultan Muhammed Mansur Ahmed, in his supplementary question, urged the minister not to divide the country in the Mujib Borsho [birth centennary of Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’] by publishing the list of collaborators.

In reply, Mozammel said he didn’t get any question, rather an advice from Sultan Mansur. “I will consider his advice,” the minister said. ministry can take action against laxity of anyone, if any, in this regard,” said Mozammel.

Another senior AL MP Maj (Retd) Rafiqul Islam reiterated that the minister will have to take responsibility, as he published the list. He said the minister could not collect the list of authentic collaborators yet.

“I think he will not be able to do it. Because, I have been hearing the same words for the last five years,” said Rafiqul Islam.

Gonoforum MP Sultan Muhammed Mansur Ahmed, in his supplementary question, urged the minister not to divide the country in the Mujib Borsho [birth centennary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman] by publishing the list of collaborators.

In reply, Mozammel said he did not get any question, rather an advice from Sultan Mansur. “I will consider his advice,” the minister said.