High Court issues rule on committees formed to check freedom fighter status

The Liberation War Affairs Ministry has been pulled up by the High Court for the committees it formed to draw up a list of freedom fighters and scrutinise the existing list..

The court has issued a rule on asking why the committees and a directive issued by the National Freedom Fighters' Council on the matter will not be declared illegal.

The order by the bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan came on Monday after hearing a petition filed by nine freedom fighters.

Secretary to the Liberation War affairs ministry and the director general of Freedom Fighters Council have been told to come up with explanations within two weeks.

Petitioners' counsel Hasnat Kaiyum told the media that the ministry formed the committees at every city, district and Upazila on Jan 11.

On Dec 10 last year, the National Freedom Fighters' Council issued a directive on the matter.

The nine freedom fighters challenged the legalities of the committees and the directive in the High Court.

The petition says the government's gazette notification on freedom fighters is recognized as the final list. It can be only cancelled if investigations are initiated over specific allegations.

"Even the Freedom Fighters' Council has no legal authority to scrutinise the freedom fighters included in the gazette. There is no law to scrutinise it by some other committee as well," said Kaiyum

Source: bdnews24