Number of freedom fighters likely to drop after scrutiny

Despite applications by 1,50,000 people for fresh enlistment, the number of freedom fighters is likely to come down after the completion of scrutiny of the fresh submissions, indicated officials concerned.
The names of a good number of “fake freedom fighters” are being removed from the list, while the names of a much lesser number of freedom fighters are added after scrutiny of documents of gazetted freedom fighters and fresh online applications, they said.
After the month-long scrutiny, five to seven thousand new real freedom fighters may be identified, while the names of around 25,000 gazetted freedom fighters, accused of using fake documents, may be left out, said a senior official of the Liberation War affairs ministry.
Each time a list was prepared after Independence in 1971, the number of freedom fighters increased. According to the latest list, there are about 2,15,000 freedom fighters, said the
official, preferring anonymity. "We have so far received lists from 27 upazilas (sub-districts) after scrutiny. The last phase of scrutiny will begin on Saturday. I do hope we will get the total numbers by the end of this month (February)," said Punnobrota Chowdhury, director-general of the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council (Jamuka).
Talking to The Independent at his office yesterday, he said most of the cases received so far were found to be negative.
“It appears that most of the (scrutiny) results are negative. There was a lesser number of positive results both from cases of gazetted freedom fighters and online applicants. I think the number (freedom fighters) is likely to be reduced. I can say definitely after receiving all lists,” he added.
The Jamuka DG, however, said there will be the opportunity to file appeals in case of any objections regarding  non-inclusion of names in the fresh list. A hearing would also be held if there are objections against those included in the list, he added.
He hoped that he would get the final results of the scrutiny by this month, except some cases where there is court prohibition and crises in quorum of the scrutiny committee.
“We have set March 26 this year as the date to formally disclose results of the scrutiny,” he said.
Regarding the controversy and allegations about some committee members in many upazilas, he said they reconstituted some committees after examining the allegations.
Emdad Hossain Matin, secretary general of Muktijoddha Sangsad Central Command Council, said about 30,000 ‘fake freedom fighters’, who were enlisted through gazettes at different points, might be dropped from the freedom fighters’ lists this time during the scrutiny.  
Referring to the outcomes of the scrutiny, he said the scrutiny committees might get more than 10,000 real freedom fighters from among the one and a half lakh new applications received both online and manually.
In this regard, he cited that a scrutiny committee working on applications coming from an upazila in Netrakona found that none of the total 150 applicants were freedom fighters.
Replying to a question on the huge number of applications, Matin said the government facilities for the freedom fighters, including monthly allowances, two Eid bonuses and quota in job and admission in educational institutions lured people to try and get a freedom fighter’s certificate although their names do not  appear either in Indian lists or in Mukti Barta (Red).
Some 470 committees, 459 at the upazila level, eight at the city level and three in hill districts, started the scrutiny of both gazetted freedom fighters and new applicants online and manually. Jamuka sources said they have received 1,23,170 applications online and about 25,000 manually for one year from Oct 16, 2013 to Oct 31, 2014.
The committees also scrutinised documents of gazetted freedom fighters included neither in the Indian list nor in the Mukti Barta (Red Book) prepared by Muktijoddah Sangsad, said the sources.The month-long scrutiny of freedom fighters began on January 21 and the last phase of scrutiny will begin tomorrow.
The first list of freedom fighters was prepared during the Ershad regime in 1984 and had 1,02,458 names. The Ershad government updated the list in 1988 and the number dropped to 69,833.
The BNP-led government upgraded the list for third time in 1994 and the number increased to 86,000. The list was reviewed twice during the AL government from 1996 to 2001. The Mukti Barta (Green) enlisted the names of 1,86,790 and the Mukti Barta (Red) 1,58,452. The BNP again updated the list in 2006 and the number rose to 1,98,889, according to ministry sources.

Number of freedom fighters likely to drop after scrutiny

Despite applications by 1,50,000 people for fresh enlistment, the number of freedom fighters is likely to come down after the completion of scrutiny of the fresh submissions, indicated officials concerned. The names of a good number of fake freedom fighters are being removed from the list, while the names of a much lesser number of freedom fighters are added after scrutiny of documents of gazetted freedom fighters and fresh online applications, they said. After the month-long scrutiny, five to seven thousand new real freedom fighters may be identified, while the names of around 25,000 gazetted freedom fighters, accused of using fake documents, may be left out, said a senior official of the Liberation War affairs ministry. Each time a list was prepared after Independence in 1971, the number of freedom fighters increased. According to the latest list, there are about 2,15,000 freedom fighters, said the official, preferring anonymity. We have so far received lists from 27 upazilas (sub-districts) after scrutiny. The last phase of scrutiny will begin on Saturday. I do hope we will get the total numbers by the end of this month (February), said Punnobrota Chowdhury, director-general of the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council (Jamuka). Talking to The Independent at his office yesterday, he said most of the cases received so far were found to be negative. It appears that most of the (scrutiny) results are negative. There was a lesser number of positive results both from cases of gazetted freedom fighters and online applicants. I think the number (freedom fighters) is likely to be reduced. I can say definitely after receiving all lists, he added. The Jamuka DG, however, said there will be the opportunity to file appeals in case of any objections regarding non-inclusion of names in the fresh list. A hearing would also be held if there are objections against those included in the list, he added. He hoped that he would get the final results of the scrutiny by this month, except some cases where there is court prohibition and crises in quorum of the scrutiny committee. We have set March 26 this year as the date to formally disclose results of the scrutiny, he said. Regarding the controversy and allegations about some committee members in many upazilas, he said they reconstituted some committees after examining the allegations. Emdad Hossain Matin, secretary general of Muktijoddha Sangsad Central Command Council, said about 30,000 fake freedom fighters, who were enlisted through gazettes at different points, might be dropped from the freedom fighters lists this time during the scrutiny. Referring to the outcomes of the scrutiny, he said the scrutiny committees might get more than 10,000 real freedom fighters from among the one and a half lakh new applications received both online and manually. In this regard, he cited that a scrutiny committee working on applications coming from an upazila in Netrakona found that none of the total 150 applicants were freedom fighters. Replying to a question on the huge number of applications, Matin said the government facilities for the freedom fighters, including monthly allowances, two Eid bonuses and quota in job and admission in educational institutions lured people to try and get a freedom fighters certificate although their names do not appear either in Indian lists or in Mukti Barta (Red). Some 470 committees, 459 at the upazila level, eight at the city level and three in hill districts, started the scrutiny of both gazetted freedom fighters and new applicants online and manually. Jamuka sources said they have received 1,23,170 applications online and about 25,000 manually for one year from Oct 16, 2013 to Oct 31, 2014. The committees also scrutinised documents of gazetted freedom fighters included neither in the Indian list nor in the Mukti Barta (Red Book) prepared by Muktijoddah Sangsad, said the sources.The month-long scrutiny of freedom fighters began on January 21 and the last phase of scrutiny will begin tomorrow. The first list of freedom fighters was prepared during the Ershad regime in 1984 and had 1,02,458 names. The Ershad government updated the list in 1988 and the number dropped to 69,833. The BNP-led government upgraded the list for third time in 1994 and the number increased to 86,000. The list was reviewed twice during the AL government from 1996 to 2001. The Mukti Barta (Green) enlisted the names of 1,86,790 and the Mukti Barta (Red) 1,58,452. The BNP again updated the list in 2006 and the number rose to 1,98,889, according to ministry sources.