By Kashem Mahmud

DHAKA, March 25, 2025 (BSS) - Liberation War Affairs Adviser Faruk E Azam has said the work of classifying 'battlefield freedom fighters (FFs)' and 'associate FFs' is underway to remove the names of the fake FFs from the list to ensure dignity of the genuine freedom fighters.

"So far, we have received complaints from different districts against 90,000 fake freedom fighters. Of these, 40,000 data entries have been completed. Work is underway to enter 50,000 data," he said.

Azam, who fought frontline battle during the country's 1971 Liberation War and was conferred with the gallantry award 'Bir Pratik', made the remarks while sharing his experiences of frontline fights in the war in an interview with BSS on Sunday.

He said those who fought in frontline battles against the Pakistani occupation forces and their local allies in different parts of Bangladesh from March 26 to December 16 will be regarded as the freedom fighters on the battlefield.

Besides, those who are already in the FF list including the people, who campaigned to mobilize public opinion abroad, including players of the Swadhin Bangla football team, artistes of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, journalists, doctors, nurses and medical assistants are being considered for recognition as associate freedom fighters.

The adviser said the status of farmers-workers, armed forces, police, naval commandos, Ansar and EPR, who fought frontline in the battlefields, cannot be the same as the status of those who campaigned to create public opinion. 

"Therefore, the ministry has taken into consideration the issue of identifying other freedom fighters, who didn't directly fight in the battlefield during the Liberation War, as 'associate freedom fighters'," said Azam, who conducted the naval guerrilla operation 'Jackpot' in Chittagong port after midnight on August 15 as the deputy commander.

The wide circulation of news on the operation 'Jackpot' on different national and foreign media encouraged the freedom fighters on the battlefield to continue fight against the Pakistani occupation forces with redoubled enthusiasm to liberate the country.

Noting that the Liberation War has been politicized while even after 54 years of independence, minor children of that day have been included in the list of freedom fighters for political considerations, Azam said the fake freedom fighters will be asked to voluntarily withdraw their names.

Some have already applied for withdrawal of their names, he said, adding that no action will be taken against those who will withdraw their names voluntarily.

The adviser, however, said letters will be sent to the "accused freedom fighters" to submit the relevant documents and given opportunity to defend themselves.

If anyone could not prove himself as the FF, punitive action will be taken against him along with scraping his FF status, he said.
Azam said the issue would be resolved soon after forming the Muktijoddha Sangsad. "It may take some time. But I hope we will be able to make a list of real freedom fighters on the battlefield," he added.

About the enthusiasm during the Liberation War, the adviser said, "The spirit of the Liberation War cannot be compared to the spirit of today. Now everyone is a beneficiary and the spirit is being used in various ways. Thus the genuine FFs are facing image crisis. We are trying to protect their dignity".

According to the Gazette notification, he said, a total of 6,757 military, paramilitary and civilians embraced martyrdom during the Liberation War, but 5,358 families are enjoying the allowance while remaining 1,399 families are not enjoying the benefits.

"The state does not know where these martyr families are, why they are not receiving allowances. The state should go to them. They should be found out, too," the adviser said. 

"I think that most of those who participated in the Liberation War were uneducated farmers and workers of the villages. They don't know how to apply to the government. Deputy Commissioners (DCs) have been instructed to find the martyr families and bring them under the benefits provided by the state," he said. 

The Liberation War Affairs Ministry has taken steps to uphold the spirit of the Liberation War and honor the freedom fighters going beyond the political interference, Azam said, adding, if it is implemented, the history of deprivation of half a century will end.

Recounting his memories during the Liberation War, the valiant freedom fighter said, "I fought on the battlefield driven by conscience".

Twenty two-year-old young man, Azam, went to the war to ignite the fire of protest against the exploitation of the Pakistani rulers. The dream was to achieve the political freedom and economic emancipation.

"I was not an activist of any political party. As a child of a middle-class family, struggling to survive, I left the house for Khulna after SSC exams to find a job in 1966," Azam said, adding, he subsequently found a job as a supervisor at Eastern Water Transport there. He served the water transport company until March 1971.

Sharing his memories from March 7 to March 27, the adviser said in the afternoon on March 27, he heard through a transistor that the then Major Ziaur Rahman was declaring the independence of the country from Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra from Chattogram. 

Citing that the soldiers of the Bengal Regiment and police started a war against the Pakistani occupation forces, he said, Major Zia urged the countrymen to join the Liberation War, Azam recalled.

He said Major Zia also requested all countries and governments across the world to recognize Bangladesh and come forward to help.

"I have no word to express my feelings at that. I felt proud that I was born in Chattogram from where the independence of the country was declared. At that moment, I took an oath that I would go back to Chattogram and join the Liberation War," Azam said.

As at that time curfew was going on, the adviser said, he and his other two friends went the house of a local named Taher.

"When the curfew was relaxed . . . we were looking for an opportunity to return to Chattogram. One day, I boarded a ship and returned to Chattogram," the adviser recalled.

Recounting of his memory of leaving the home to join the war, Azam said, on May 5, 1971, a group of 28 people left for India via Ramgarh and reached Harina Camp via Sabroom in India.

"I was eager to see the proclaimer of the independence Major Zia there. However, I heard that he had gone to Agartala. In the afternoon, we were enlisted for naval warfare. There, we met Captain Rafiq," he said.
 
The valiant freedom fighter added: "Under the leadership of Commander G Martis of the Indian Navy, from June 1, we were given the necessary training in the Bhagirathi River on laying naval mines, cutting anchor chains, and underwater explosives".

Remembering that the head of the training Commander Samantha selected commando teams for all the rivers and seaports of the then East Pakistan on August 1, he said, "I was included in the 60-member team selected for Chattogram".

Abdul Wahed Chowdhury was nominated as the team captain, who was one of the sailors who had escaped from France. His deputy commander was Shah Alam, a student of Chattogram Medical College. 

Azam said the Chattogram team was divided into three groups of 20 people each. "Shah Alam was the captain of one of the groups of twenty people and I was his deputy," he added.

Recalling the memory of operation 'Jackpot', he said they set mines in Greek Ship Albose while within hours four mines exploited sinking the 15,000 tones Greek ship.

"We achieved the independence through the nine-month-long bloody war in exchange of lives of millions of people and honor of thousands of women. But we could not materialize our dreams in the 54 years since our country's independence," Azam said.

"We still have to struggle against discrimination. We still have to listen to the slogans 'there is no place for discrimination in the Bangla of martyrs'," he added.

Noting that the 2024 July Uprising sowed the seeds of new dreams through the fall of the dictatorship, the adviser said the current interim government is working to materialize the dreams.