A freedom fighter's unique protest

The extraordinary way a freedom fighter in Jamalpur has protested the discrepancies in the process of listing freedom fighters should be a wake-up call for the nation. Abul Hossain, according to a report by Prothom Alo, sent a letter to the local UNO asking not to give him a state funeral when he dies. He also asked for his gallantry medal to be taken back. The reason for his anguish is simple: He does not want to be lumped with a group that includes fake freedom fighters.

There have been numerous reported and proven cases of how corruption and inefficiency has led to the inclusion of imposters in the official freedom fighters list. In 2014, the government revoked more than three thousand fraudulent freedom fighter certificates, including that of six secretaries.  

It is unfortunate that in the 46 years since we achieved victory, our governments have not been able to come up with a genuine list of freedom fighters. So far, successive governments have revised the list six times. Even, the definition and criteria of freedom fighters have changed ten times. Whenever the government of the day attempted to revise the list, it mysteriously grew longer, in spite of the fact that many freedom fighters have died over the years.

Such callousness in a document as valuable as this is an insult to our freedom fighters and to our Liberation war. Our freedom fighters risked their lives to liberate their motherland, not for material gains. It is high time the government finalised the criteria and definition, and conducted an extensive probe to settle the list and put an end to this absurd mockery. It is the least we can do to honour our freedom fighters.