Martyred Hafizur finally recognised after 52 years
Martyred guerrilla of the Liberation War, Syed Hafizur Rahman, has finally been recognised as a freedom fighter after his family's appeals were rejected nine times.
After scrutinising an appeal filed by his family, Jatio Muktijoddha Parishad recognised him as a martyred freedom fighter, parishad member Major (retd) Waqar Hasan Bir Pratik told The Daily Star.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs recently published a gazette that recognised Hafizur as a martyred freedom fighter.
His serial number is 4171.
Hafizur had 11 siblings. Only two of them are alive.
His sister Syeda Anwara Khatun told this newspaper, "We have said time and again that we did not need anything except his recognition. The children and grandchildren of my brother don't even want the allowances and other benefits."
Thanking The Daily Star for running reports on Hafizur not being recognised, she said they had given up hope of seeing their brother acknowledged.
"But due to The Daily Star reports, our application was closely scrutinised, leading to his recognition," she added.
Linu Billah, who fought alongside Hafizur and Crack Platoon member, said, "It is equally delightful and painful for me that Hafiz bhai has finally been recognised so many years after independence."
Between 1974 and 2014, Hafizur's family sought his recognition as a "martyred freedom fighter" nine times.
On October 24 and 31 last year, The Daily Star published two reports titled "Half a century gone chasing recognition" and "Denied again".
Following the reports, Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Bakir Hossain Mridha on January 15 filed a writ petition with the High Court. On January 22, the HC questioned why Hafizur is not recognised as a martyred freedom fighter.
Hafizur was part of a band of youths who were trained in urban guerrilla warfare to carry out covert operations and strike fear into the hearts of the Pakistan occupation army during the Liberation War.
Crack Platoon, as it was called, executed high-risk attacks on army convoys and key installations in Dhaka. Its primary mission was to make the rest of the world take note of the freedom struggle.
Hafiz, as a member of Crack Platoon, mined six locations across the capital in June-July of 1971, Linu said.
His expertise in laying mines and ability to plan effective ambushes had earned him the nicknames "Guerrilla Hafiz" and "Mine Hafiz" among fellow fighters.
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