Sajjad said his father and four brothers are gazetted freedom fighters. But they are facing a problem because the government has fixed the minimum age limit of a freedom fighter as 12 years and 6 months. He claimed that he was 14 years old during the liberation war but his school headmaster reduced his age. As per NID card, his date of birth is 14 July 1959. According to this, he is one year younger than the minimum age requirement set by the government to be considered a freedom fighter. Due to this, the monthly allowance given to the freedom fighters has been stopped. That is why he is in favor of reducing the minimum age limit.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs issued a notification on 17 January 2018, taking into account the recommendations, the minimum age to be considered a freedom fighter as on 30 November 1971 at the time of the Liberation War was fixed at 12 years and 6 months. Jatiya Muktijoddha Parishad, Jamuka (National Freedom Fighters Council).
An analysis of documents from the last eight meetings of the council shows that several applications have been made to Jamuka on age-related complications for inclusion in the list of freedom fighters. Recommendations have also been made to ignore the age limit for many applicants.
* more to follow …
