Mujibnagar govt leaders were FFs: Adviser

Reports indicating that the interim government had revoked the "freedom fighter" status of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the four national leaders, and other members of the administration that coordinated the 1971 war effort, popularly known as Mujibnagar government, are wide of the mark, according to Liberation War Affairs Advisor Faruk E Azam, reports bdnews24.com.

On Wednesday, he addressed the debate sparked by the government's decision to redefine the eligibility criteria for freedom fighters through an ordinance.

Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, he said: "This [the reports] is not accurate. It [the ordinance] clearly states Provisional Government of Bangladesh (Mujibnagar government). It mentions the Mujibnagar government-Tajuddin Ahmad, Mansur Ali, AHM Qamaruzzaman, and Khandaker Mushtaq Ahmed were part of it and all of them were freedom fighters."

The interim government issued an ordinance on Tuesday amending the National Freedom Fighters' Council Act, enacted three years ago. The ordinance introduces a revised definition of "freedom fighter" and designates some previously recognised individuals as "collaborators of the Liberation War".

On Wednesday, the adviser said: "The war was led by this [Mujibnagar] government.”