BAHARAM KHAN and MD ABBAS

Confusion has emerged following the issuance of a new ordinance redefining the term freedom fighter.

Liberation War researchers and organisations have expressed concern over ambiguities in the revised definitions of Bir Muktijoddha (valiant freedom fighter) and Muktijuddher Shohojogi (associate of the Liberation War).

They are also questioning whether this new definition was necessary at all. The government, however, has dismissed these concerns.

Late Tuesday night, the government issued the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, amending the act of 2022 to include the revised definitions.

The previous law only included a definition of Bir Muktijoddha. The new ordinance introduces at least three new categories: associates of the Liberation War, freedom fighter families and Liberation War associate families.

Some changes have also been made to the definition of the Liberation War itself. In the previous version, political parties that had opposed the Liberation War (Jamaat-e-Islami, Nezam-e-Islami, and Muslim League) were mentioned explicitly.

The amended ordinance now adds the term “then” before the names of these parties, referring to them as the “then Muslim League, Jamaat-e-Islami and Nezam-e-Islami”.

Additionally, references to “Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman” in several places have been omitted in the ordinance.

THE SOURCE OF AMBIGUITY

The definition of Bir Muktijoddha in the ordinance includes the Mujibnagar government.

The definition of Liberation War associate includes all MNAs (Members of the National Assembly) and MPAs (Members of the Provincial Assembly) associated with the Mujibnagar government who later became members of the constituent assembly. Further, all employees and officials of the Mujibnagar government have also The

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