Why is a minister chairman of muktijoddha council

The High Court has questioned legality of the rules that allows the liberation war affairs minister and the ministry's secretary to become chairman and member of Jatiya Muktijoddha Council.

The court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why sections 5(1) (ka) and (Kha) of Jatiya Muktijoddha Council Act, 2022, that make the liberation war affairs minister and the secretary ex-officio chairman and secretary of the council, should not be scrapped.

The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Showkat Ali Chowdhury issued the rule yesterday (Monday) following a writ petition filed by Nawab Ali Mondal, a freedom fighter from Bogura's Gabtoli upazila, challenging the legality of the rules.

The HC also stayed the government's action that cancelled the gazette notification recognising Nawab Ali Mondal as a freedom fighter and ordered the government to continue giving him his allowance.

Lawyer Toufiq Inam, who appeared for the writ petitioner, today told The Daily Star that both the liberation war affairs ministry and Jatiya Muktijoddha Council have turned into a similar institution because of the sections 5(1) (ka) and (Kha) of the act.

The same persons have the authority to enquire and judge issues regarding recognition of freedom fighters which is contradictory to the principle of justice, he added.