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Why U-13 won't get freedom fighter status: HC

2 || risingbd.com

Published: 08:40, 21 November 2017   Update: 15:18, 26 July 2020
Why U-13 won't get freedom fighter status: HC

Staff Correspondent: The High Court (HC) has issued a rule asking the government as to why the decision of fixing 13 year-old for minimum age of a freedom fighter should not be declared illegal.

Alongside, the court also stayed the effectiveness of the gazette notification issued for the writ petitioner Khandoker Shahidul Islam alias Shahidullah. Besides, the effectiveness of the sepate letters have also been stayed for six months.

The bench of Justice Kazi Rezaul Haque and Justice Mohammad Ullah came up with the order and rule on Tuesday.

Advocate AKM Fazlul Karim and Barrister ABM Altaf Hossain moved for the writ petitioner in the court.

After 45 years of independence, the government has finalised the definition of freedom fighter, fixing 13 as the minimum age for being recognised as a freedom fighter.

Setting nine conditions for eligibility, a gazette notification was published on November 10 last year with the consent of President Abdul Hamid.

The government has finalised the definition on the basis of recommendations of the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council to prepare an acceptable list of the freedom fighters.

According to the gazette, people who were 13 on March 26 in 1971 would be deemed eligible to apply for the status.

As per the definition, people who took part in the Liberation War in response to the call of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman between March 26 and December 16 in 1971 will be recognised as freedom fighters.


risingbd/Dhaka/November 21, 2017/Mehadi/A K Azad

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