Fraudsters in freedom fighter quota busted
Nearly 8,000 cases of freedom fighter certificates and related information have been found questionable as the government continues verifying individuals who secured public sector jobs under the freedom fighter quota, according to sources at the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.
Officials told The New Nation that the ministry is currently reviewing certificates and submitted information of those employed under the quota system, with discrepancies identified in a significant number of cases.
A senior ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said irregularities had been detected in roughly seven to eight out of every 100 cases reviewed so far, raising concerns about the authenticity of some certificates used for government employment.
According to ministry sources, more than 89,000 individuals secured government jobs under the freedom fighter quota, while preliminary verification suggests that around 90,527 cadre and non-cadre employees were appointed under the category.
Officials said the exact figure is still being finalised as verification continues.
Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan told the parliament that the government is working to complete the verification process and would present an authentic list before the nation soon.
Responding to a supplementary question from treasury bench lawmaker Zainul Abdin Farroque, he said the ministry is committed to addressing anomalies and ensuring transparency.
The minister also noted that many genuine freedom fighters were deprived of allowances during the previous government, and the ministry has received numerous complaints in this regard. He said steps are being taken to address these issues alongside the verification process.
Earlier, Liberation War Affairs Adviser Faruk-e-Azam announced that action would be taken against individuals who obtained government employment using fraudulent freedom fighter certificates, declaring on 14 August 2024 that strict measures would be adopted against such irregularities. However, the verification process remains ongoing.
On 14 March 2026, Liberation War Affairs Secretary Israt Chowdhury told a daily newspaper that inconsistencies had been identified in information submitted by employees recruited under the quota across various ministries and divisions.
She said the ministry had asked for corrected information, which contributed to delays, and noted that limited manpower had slowed the finalisation of the list. Primary verification has been completed and monitoring is now underway.
During the interim government’s tenure, the ministry sent letters to 57 ministries, along with the Election Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission and Public Service Commission, seeking detailed information on quota beneficiaries, including MIS database numbers, gazette records, and inclusion in official freedom fighter lists such as the Indian list and Lal Muktibarta. Information received from 38 ministries and divisions was initially incomplete, prompting further requests for data from 769 individuals.
Officials said monitoring of around 67,000 employees has already been completed, while the remaining cases may take another two to three months to verify.
In earlier investigations, authorities cancelled the freedom fighter certificates of several senior officials, including former health secretary Niaz Uddin Mia, former Liberation War Affairs secretary KH Masud Siddiqui, former Public Service Commission secretary AKM Amir Hossain, former Privatisation Commission chairman Molla Wahiduzzaman and joint secretary Abul Kashem Talukder.
Director of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) Advocate Aklas Uddin Bhuiyan of the Supreme Court said individuals who secured jobs or allowances using fake certificates should face legal action, adding that exemplary punishment would be necessary to restore public confidence in the system.
He called for the repayment of funds given to fake freedom fighters to the public coffers.
The Jatiyo Muktijoddha Council (JAMUKA) held 12 meetings during the interim government period and cancelled the certificates of 396 individuals.
Stakeholders have stressed the need to verify whether any family members of these individuals secured government jobs using the revoked certificates.
According to BBC Bangla, the freedom fighter quota in government employment has existed since 1972, with children included in 1997 and grandchildren added in 2011.
The quota, which stood at 30 per cent, was abolished following the July movement.
