This story first appeared in Prothomalo

It has not been possible to prepare an accurate and full list of freedom fighters over the past 52 years since the independence of Bangladesh. The Jatiyo Muktijoddha Council (Jamuka), which exercises legal authority to prepare the list of freedom fighters, holds meetings almost every month aimed at either adding new names of freedom fighter to the list or dropping someone from it. As a result, uncertainty looms large over whether a correct and full list of freedom fighters will be prepared during the third term of Awami League.

According to the gazette branch of the liberation war affairs ministry, a total of 235,467 people have been gazetted as freedom fighter from time to time while the budget branch of the same ministry said the government allocated allowance to 219,758 freedom fighters in January this year. Besides, the government published an incomplete list of 147,537 freedom fighters in March 2021 on the occasion of the golden jubilee of independence. As a result, ambiguity remains on the actual number of freedom fighters in the country.

Liberation War Affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque said work on preparing a full list of freedom fighters nears to an end and the number of actual freedom fighter would not exceed 190,000. He told Prothom Alo on 23 March, “No appeal to include name in the list of freedom fighters will not be accepted after next June and no one will also be included anew either. We hope to finalise work on the full list of freedom fighters by this year.”

According to Jamuka, a person requires 33 documents to prove himself/herself as a freedom fighter. The name of many freedom fighters differs in various documents, and finally, the name on the national identity card is considered for documentation. Many freedom fighters are facing hassle because of difference of name in the identity card and the list. All this contributes to the delay in publishing the full list.

Two important members of the cabinet appealed to Jamuka in 2021 to include their name in the list of freedom fighter. Jamuka ‘recognised’ fisheries and livestock minister SM Rezaul Karim as a freedom fighter under ‘special consideration’ and rejected the appeal, in which finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal himself claimed to be a freedom fighter, after scrutinising it. There are lots of such applications from numerous influential people pending at Jamuk and the agency is scrutinising those.

Currently, a freedom fighter receives an allowance of Tk 20,000 a month, an Eid allowance of Tk 10,000 twice a year, a Victory Day allowance of Tk 5,000 and a Bengali New Year allowance of Tk 2,000.

The government published a gazette on 29 October 2020 stating that the word ‘bir’ (valiant) must be used before the name of a freedom fighter. A government order was issued in 2012 to extend retirement age of freedom fighters holding a government job by one more year to 60 years from the regular retirement age of 59 years. Since then, according to Jamuka sources, top government officials started applying for the recognition of freedom fighter. Yet, application of four secretaries and a joint secretary, who once were recognised as freedom fighter, were revoked in 2014 after verification.

The list of freedom fighters has been revised at least seven times in 52 years with age, definition and standard to get a recognition as a freedom fighter being changed for 11 times.

Jamuka sources said the Ershad government took an initiative to formulate a list of freedom fighters in 1984 and formed a national committee. The national committee then prepared a list of 102,458 freedom fighters, known as the national list, from a list collected by Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust (Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust) formed during the Bangabandhu government, a list of East Bengal Regimental Centre (EBRC) in Chattogram, and a list from India.

Then Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust managing director Major General Amin Ahmed Chowdhury, Bir Bikram, collected a list of 69,833 freedom fighters from India in 1988, which is known as the Indian list of freedom fighters. Muktijoddha Kendriya Command Council convener Brigadier General (retired) AJM Aminul haque, Bir Uttam, formulated a list of 86,000 freedom fighters in 1994 to conduct the election of the Kendriya Command Council. A list of 186,790 freedom fighters was prepared during the Awami League government in 1996-2000, which is known as Muktibarta (green). Another list of 158,452 freedom fighters, which is known as Muktibarta (red), was formulated later following verification.

Jamuka sources said a 15-member national committee was formed during BNP-led 4-party Alliance government in 2001-2006 with then cabinet secretary Saadat Hussain as convener and liberation war affairs ministry joint secretary Momtaz Uddin as member secretary. This committee prepared a list of 210,581 freedom fighters.

When Awami League came to power in 2009, it alleged the BNP-led 4-party alliance government included more than 70,000 non-freedom fighters in the list. The Awami League government then formed local committees with all deputy commissioners and upazila nirbahi officers and started verification process to omit the name of non-freedom fighters from the list. Meantime, the Awami League government has added 11,500 new names to the list of freedom fighters and dropped nearly 20,000 names from it. However, inclusion of new names in the list of freedom fighters has not stopped.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee president Shahriar Kabir said name of all actual freedom fighters are yet to be included in the list of freedom fighters and name of people who did not participate in the liberation war has also been added to the list. Recently, influential and powerful people have been active to add their name in the list of freedom fighters to hide their wrongdoings.

If an independent commission scrutinises and verifies the list of freedom fighters of the MIS (the government maintains the full database of freedom fighters receiving allowance with management information system centre), then the list will halves. The names of many freedom fighters allegedly did not appear in the list as they failed to bribe the people concerned. So, the list of freedom fighters will never be error free, and it will be possible to omit non-freedom fighters from the list only when rules will be introduced to provide allowance to needy freedom fighters, he added.

This report appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Hasanul Banna

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This story first appeared in Prothomalo

Among many other issues, US sanctions on RAB, extrajudicial killings, steps the government has taken to curb enforced disappearances and ensuring rights were discussed in the Bangladesh-USA partnership dialogue. Rozina Islam took an interview of foreign minister AK Abdul Momen about this.

What has been discussed about the Digital Security Act in the partnership dialogue?

What we immediately thought is to take actions regarding the Digital Security Act (DSA). Earlier, the law had been abused. To avoid its recurrence, a decision has been made that a permission has to be taken before making any arrests under the DSA. The law minister has already informed the relevant people. The US has lauded the step. Every country has laws like this. But sometimes over enthusiastic people in our country abuse those (laws). We are now cautious so that no such incident takes place.

The US said they can’t lift the sanctions all of a sudden. This has a process which is long and complex. We have to go through the process. But they are happy that no people died in the hands of RAB in the last three months.

What has been discussed about the allegations of enforced disappearances?

Enforced disappearances have taken place. At the same time, seven among them have returned. One of them recently contested an election as well. But there is another allegation that information has been sought from the relatives of the victims of enforced disappearances by visiting their homes. Because, they (authorities) did not notice earlier that they do not have any information (about victims of enforced disappearances). The families of the victims of enforced disappearance do not say anything as they fear. Because of such allegations, a decision has been taken that there is no need to collect information by visiting homes (of the victims of enforced disappearance). The law minister said, you (law enforcement) send letters and ask them (families of the victims of enforced disappearance) to come to public places. There will be people and media there. They will describe the story of enforced disappearances (to them).

But let me tell you one thing that hundreds of thousands of people go missing every year, and return home. Many leave homes because of family issues. But these have been described as enforced disappearances. Recently, a missing person has been found after 21 years. That man was an accused in a murder case but was roaming in disguise of a ‘maulana’.

Have you mentioned any step that the Bangladesh side would take so that the US could withdraw the sanctions?

We have taken several steps. As we have taken many steps, not a single person died because of RAB in the last three months. The situation has improved because we have taken steps.

Some of RAB members have faced punitive actions because of doing excess during carrying out duties. At least 270 RAB officers have been demoted on different allegations. Incidents of sacking are also there. RAB officials were awarded different jail terms including a death sentence in a case filed against them.

When RAB kills someone, a legal procedure is taken against the incident. We told them (the US), RAB curbs terrorism and human trafficking. Why did you impose sanctions on the force that is fulfilling their (the US) global target? We have handed over to them a comparative picture of missing people or victims of enforced disappearances in different countries. The United Nations said 76 people have gone missing in Bangladesh. But the number is 16,500 in Iraq while the number is 6,500 in Sri Lanka. The number of enforced disappearances in other countries is huge.

* The interview, originally published in the print edition of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten for English edition by Shameem Reza

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This story first appeared in Prothom Alo

Rozina’s Report on Health Sector Irregularities/1

In a letter sent to the secretary of health services division of the health and family welfare ministry, they claimed that a section of the candidates had paid Tk 1.5-2 million (15-20 lakh) each to pass the written exams

Rozina Islam, a senior reporter of Prothom Alo, has been reporting on various irregularities, corruption and mismanagement in the health sector. These reports of Rozina Islam have been widely discussed. The reports have exposed many incidents of corruption.

In the light of these reports, the government has also taken action against many involved in corruption, irregularities and mismanagement in the Ministry of Health.

This is one of the reports of Rozina Islam, published on 12 April 2021, on corruption in the health sector and the health ministry:

Bribe at DGHS recruitment‘Take Tk 10m now, will pay more later’

Two members of a recruitment committee of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) have complained of a large-scale bribery during a recruitment.

In a letter sent to the secretary of health services division of the health and family welfare ministry, they claimed that a section of the candidates had paid Tk 1.5-2 million (15-20 lakh) each to pass the written exams.

The discrepancies in the written exams came into light during the viva voce. According to members of the recruitment committee, candidates who obtained 60-79 marks out of 80 in the written exams could not answer the questions in the viva voce. On the other hand, candidates with lower scores in the written exams did well in the viva voce.

A deputy secretary of another ministry offered a member of the recruitment board bribe and promotion to pass the candidates in the viva voce.

In the letter, a member of the recruitment committee alleged that Tk 10 million (1 crore) was offered in cash, and more money and promotion later.

The DGHS took the initiative for this recruitment to fill the shortage of technical manpower in the government hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic.

The DGHS issued a circular in this regard on 29 June.

A total of 2,251 candidates passed the exam held in December, which is 5 per cent of the total candidates. However, 80 to 85 per cent of them got high scores in the written exam which created a doubt. Later, the viva voce was taken very strictly.

The DGHS has dropped two of the members of the recruitment committee on the allegations of discrepancies in the recruitment exam. The DGHS is saying that it is not possible to cancel the whole exam. For this, they have made it mandatory to get at least 10 out of 20 in the viva voce. The officials concerned said that competent candidates were not available in the viva voce against all the posts mentioned in the circular. They are planning to recruit around 800 candidates for this reason.

Sheikh Md Hasan Imam, director (administration) of DGHS and also the head of the recruitment committee said, “I have informed the secretary of health services division and the director general of the DGHS about the allegations by the members of the committee. I have proof.”

He further said, “When more than one candidate gets 79 out of 80 in the exam, it is a matter of concern.”

‘Will pay Tk 10m on Friday’

DGHS’ deputy director AFM Akhter Hossain is one of the two officials who had been removed from the committee on the allegations of discrepancies. Md Abul Hashem Sheikh was appointed in his place on 29 February. He was appointed to Mugda General Hospital previously. He was made the member secretary of the recruitment committee.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Akhter Hossain said that he does not know why he has been removed from the committee.

Abul Hashem, the newly appointed deputy director (administration) of DGHS wrote a letter to the secretary of health services division on 8 March alleging that he had been offered a bribe. Abdul Mannan was the health secretary at the time. In that letter, Hashem wrote that deputy secretary (planning) of the disaster management and relief ministry, Sreenibash Debnath met him on 1 March and offered him a bribe.

Hashem further wrote, “He (Sreenibash) said, ‘I will pay you Tk 10 million (1 crore), where will we meet? I asked, ‘Why will you pay me such a large amount of money?’

Sreenibash said, “You have to help pass the candidates in the viva voce in accordance with the list we provide. They have done well in the written exam.”

He also mentioned in the letter that deputy secretary Sreenibash also offered him a promotion during that meeting. Hashem further wrote that Sreeninbash’s phone rang while talking to him. Sreeninbash gave the mobile to Hashem and said the assistant personal secretary (APS) of the health minister wants to talk to him (Hashem). A man named Arifur talked to Hashem over the phone and asked him to act according to Sreenibash.

Hashem wrote to the secretary of the health services division, “I told Sreenibash Debnath that I am unable to do any work in return for a bribe. And then he (Sreenibash) said this Tk 10 million is not the all, you will get more after the appointment, just think about it.”

In the letter sent by Hashem it has been alleged that Sreenibash Debnath, along with many others, led the discrepancies in the recruitment process. Two of them are working in the DGHS. They are – Akhter Hossain, deputy director of the DGHS (administration) and Mohammad Sohel, office assistant cum computer operator of the DGHS.

According to Hashem, Sohel was a night guard before, who was illegally promoted to the post of MLSS. Hashem also urged to take actions against this syndicate of recruitment business to make the DGHS free of corruption.

When asked about the reason for sending the letter, Hashem told Prothom Alo, “I think there has been a large-scale discrepancy in this recruitment. So I have filed a complaint in writing to the health ministry. I have verbally informed the health secretary (former) about this. They have thanked me.”

‘Haven’t been to DGHS in 2-4 years’

When asked about the offer for a bribe, deputy secretary Sreenibash Debnath told Prothom Alo over the mobile phone on Sunday, “I do not know anything about this. I haven’t been to the DGHS in 2-4 years.

However, Sreenibash admitted that he knows Arifur. Both of them were officials of economic cadre. Arifur was once the APS of the health minister.

It is noted that a man named Arifur Rahman Sheikh once worked as the APS of the health minister. He was removed from the post in January 2020 on the allegations of multiple discrepancies.

At present, Arifur Rahman Sheikh is working as the senior assistant chief of the planning division. Regarding the allegation made by Hashem, he claimed that he never said such a word to anybody.

Allegations of another member of the recruitment committee

Deputy secretary and a member of the recruitment committee, Sharmin Akter Jahan sent a letter to the secretary of health services division on 16 February regarding the irregularities in the written exam of recruiting technologist and technician of DGHS.

She mentioned that as per the proposal of Dipankar Biswas, a member of the recruitment committee and deputy secretary of the public administration ministry, and the decision of the committee, the department of applied mathematics of Dhaka University was given the responsibility to evaluate the papers of the written exam.

Sharmin Akter further wrote that many of the candidates obtained a good score in the exam despite a tough questionnaire. In some papers, there was even no scope of cutting numbers which was quite unnatural.

She further mentioned in the letter that when the viva voce started, it was seen that those who got a lot of marks were not able to answer any question in the viva voce. Those who got marks from 40 to 59 have done well in the viva voce. She claimed that she had learned from reliable sources that Tk 1.5 to 2 million (15 to 20 lakh) had been taken from each of the candidates.

Sharmin Akter wrote, “This is a very serious matter. I am urging to investigate the incident and take legal actions against the officials concerned.”

Concerned sources said after being informed about this, the health secretary acknowledged the matter to the public administration ministry. After that, Dipankar Bishwas was removed from the recruitment committee.

However, Dipankar claimed to Prothom Alo that he did not play any part in this. He only ensured that everything was being done according to the rules.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Sharmin Akter Jahan told Prothom Alo, “We want an investigation to be conducted against each of the accused officials.”

We got the link

The recruitment committee adopted a special method in the viva voce guessing the irregularities in the written exam. Sources said in the viva voce, the candidates were asked to answer three short questions in writing and a portion of the candidates who obtained high scores in the written exam could not give the correct answers.

Prothom Alo spoke to six such candidates who got high marks in the written exam but failed in viva voce.

Seeking anonymity they claimed that many of them got a link containing the answers on the internet before the written exam. They memorised the answers and took part in the exam. One of the candidates said, “These sorts of recruitments cannot be done without money.”

Urge for a thorough investigation

Health minister Zahid Maleque told Prothom Alo on Sunday that he has not been informed about the irregularities as yet. The government hospitals are facing shortage of manpower to provide services to the patients in the current situation of coronavirus infection in the country. For this reason, the health ministry took the initiative of a large recruitment on an emergency basis. Earlier in 2020, some 203 technicians were recruited in one phase without any recruitment exam. The DGHS accomplished that recruitment process at the behest of the president.

Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), told Prothom Alo that such irregularities are regular in recruitment in the country but do not come to light. The government officials, who complained this time, are praiseworthy.

He said that now this matter should be investigated in detail and punitive measures should be taken against the people involved. If that is not the case, then it must be understood that the corrupt have a collusion with the higher level of authorities.

*This report appeared in the print and online editions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu

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There are allegations of irregularities regarding allocation of flats built for wounded freedom fighters.

Out of 84 flats, 33 flats have been allocated. And 13 persons have illegally grabbed 26 flats out of these 33.

Although 51 flats are not still allocated, a section of people occupied these and are staying there illegally. Ten of these people own government houses, flats and land.

It is also alleged many of these people are neither wounded freedom fighters nor freedom fighters at all.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, liberation affairs minister AKM Mozammel Huq said, “We have investigated the matter. A section of people started to live without any permission. Some people grabbed flats. It is unfortunate that those who are not freedom fighters have occupied flats. We have asked them to leave the tower. If they do not leave willingly, we will evict them.”

The Muktijoddha Tower was built on Gaznabi Road of Mohammadpur in Dhaka for wounded freedom fighters as residences and for commercial purposes.

According to a report of Bangladesh Freedom Fighter Welfare Trust, after the construction of the tower, 33 flats were allocated for the wounded freedom fighters.

Some 19 persons among whom flats were allocated are not wounded freedom fighters. A group of 13 persons grabbed 26 flats. A thorough investigation has been launched against them. Those non-freedom fighters have also got allocation of 33 shops.

A total of 51 flats have been kept for commercial purposes to generate income for the welfare of the freedom fighters. But without allocation and permission, 51 persons grabbed 39 flats of the tower.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, officials at the Bangladesh Freedom Fighter Welfare and genuine freedom fighters said Muktijoddha Tower was supposed to have been used as a rest house. Later, 33 flats were allocated for the rehabilitation of freedom fighters.

But due to mismanagement of Freedom Fighter Welfare Trust, a vested quarter grabbed the flats of the tower.

Managing director at the Freedom Fighter Welfare Trust Azharul Hoque said only nine people are legally staying in the building. The rest are staying there illegally.

A committee is looking into who is responsible for this, he added.

While visiting the tower on 19 December, this correspondent found two floors have been used as a yaba den. Outsiders are gambling in the club of the building.

Genuine freedom fighters alleged such a situation has been created due to mismanagement and negligence of the Freedom Fighter Welfare Trust.

According to the ministry report, Keyam Uddin Mollah of Pabna is under investigation as to whether he was an injured freedom fighter or not.

Asked about the investigation, Keyam Uddin Mollah told Prothom Alo, ”I have been living here since 1971. Even police won’t be able to evict us.”

However, he admitted that he and many others live in the tower by taking over two flats.

Keyam Uddin Mollah is also the president of the tower’s Injured Freedom Fighters’ Rehabilitation Multipurpose Association.

When asked about yaba trade inside the tower, he said, ”We informed police about this, but they have not taken any action.”

Both insiders of the building and outsiders are involved in the yaba trade, he added.

Abu Shaheed Billah of Bogra, whose freedom fighter identity is being probed, forcefully occupies two flats.

”I’m a freedom fighter. But many people, who are not freedom fighters, live in the tower,” said Abu Shaheed Billah.

Instead of an allotted one, Chand Miah of Sirajganj grabbed another flat of the tower. He is also under investigation.

Golam Mostafa Bir Bikram of Dhaka’s Dohar who lives in the tower as a freedom fighter told Prothom Alo, ”It’s correct that many people who are not freedom fighters, live in the tower.”

”We want to know why action is not being taken against the non-freedom fighters. We want support of the government to close the yaba den and gambling in the tower,” he also said.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam and Imam Hossain.

source: http://en.prothomalo.com