Stop corruption business with freedom fighters: Do something for those who gave lives

A NATIONAL daily has reported that the number of war-wounded freedom fighters increased 10 times with enhancement of their benefits, with only 499 first enlisted in 1973, when the allowance was Tk 75, growing to 5,330 in 2003 at the time of last count. At present, they get a monthly allowance between Tk 9,750 and Tk 30,000 in four slabs depending on the injuries. They also get rations and two annual festival allowances. Other freedom fighters, who were not injured in the war of independence, are entitled to a monthly benefit of Tk 3,000. After 43 years of independence, it is mind-blowing that a monstrous 10,000 applications for all these benefits are now pending with the Liberation War Affairs Ministry, Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust, Jatiya Muktijoddha Council and Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad. There are allegations that people with very nominal injuries and without proper documents have made their way to the benefits list and a few Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust leaders are taking bribes to do so. Reports have it that a few Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust officials were involved in forging documents for applicants in exchange for money. They also charge Tk 10,000 more to prioritize interviews as 10,000 applications are pending. Most of these applications were filed in the past two years after the government made a significant increase in the benefits, ministry sources said. We want the corruption business going on in the name of helping the freedom fighters to end at once. This government has no hesitation in saying that thirty lacs people were killed during the war of liberation. But the government is not showing any interest in helping those families who made supreme sacrifice by giving their lives for the cause of freedom.