Controversial Razakars’ List: Nirmul committee calls for judicial enquiry

Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee yesterday demanded formation of a judicial enquiry commission to identify those involved in publishing the flawed list of Razakars.

“It is very unfortunate that freedom fighters’ names were in the list,” Shahriar Kabir, president of the committee, told a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

Freedom fighters’ names in the list of Razakars is humiliating to the entire nation, he said.

“We want a judicial enquiry commission comprising of a judge of the Appellate Division of Supreme Court to investigate who were responsible for such a crime,” he said.

He added that those responsible should be brought to book through a fair investigation.

Names of notorious opponents of the Liberation War might have been dropped due to ignorance, but the inclusion of freedom fighters in the list is a serious crime.

“They [anti-liberation individuals and their aides] hadn’t been removed from different tiers of the administration yet. That’s why we urged the government not to give the responsibility of important tasks like preparing the list of Razakars and martyred intellectuals to bureaucrats. Different research organisations and liberation war researchers should have been engaged.”

Dana Nazlee, daughter of the Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal and freedom fighter Ghulam Arieff Tipoo; Selina Mirza, daughter of freedom fighter Mirza Abdul Latif; and Julfia Begum Bulu, daughter of freedom fighter Abdus Salam, attended in the briefing.

Names of their fathers appeared in the Razakar list.

Shaheed Jaya Shayamoli Nasrin Chowdhury also spoke at the event.

Prof Muntassir Mamoon said several lists of Razakars were already available. The ministry could have referred to those lists.

“Instead, the government relied on the bureaucrats,” he added.

Ghulam Arieff Tipoo at another press briefing at his office at the ICT demanded that the government bring those responsible to book.

LEGAL NOTICE TO MINISTER, SECY

An SC lawyer yesterday sent a legal notice to Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque and the ministry secretary, requesting them to offer an unconditional apology to the nation within 24 hours.

SM Zulfiqure Ali served the legal notice saying that appropriate legal action will be taken against the duo for violating the constitution through assassinating the character of freedom fighters if they did not apologise.

There are allegations that the names of freedom fighters, who had directly participated the Liberation War and fought against Pakistani occupation force, have been included in the list of Razakars, Ali said.

Even the names of some members of martyrs’ families have been included in the Razakar list while the names of identified Razakars have allegedly not been included in it.

Therefore, the freedom fighters have been hurt and dishonoured, which is a shame for the country and the nation.

The liberation war affairs minister has committed a heinous offence which is contradictory to the constitution, mentioned the legal notice.

Amid nationwide outrage and angry protests, the liberation war affairs ministry on Wednesday suspended the controversial and flawed Razakars’ list three days after its publication.

NO MONEY FOR RAZAKAR LIST

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque said that no money was allocated for making the list of Razakars.

“Therefore, there is no question of spending a dime [for it],” a press release issued by ministry yesterday quoted the minister as saying.