Jhenaidah: Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman today announced that the forces opposing Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971 have now been explicitly defined through recent legislation passed in Parliament. He made these statements as the chief guest at a May Day discussion held in Shailkupa upazila of Jhenaidah.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the minister elaborated that individuals who collaborated with the Pakistani occupation forces during the Liberation War, as well as their local collaborators such as Al-Badr, Al-Shams, and Razakar forces, have been clearly identified in the newly enacted Jatiya Muktijoddha Council (Amendment) Act, 2026. The legislation, he explained, includes a definition of “freedom fighter” under Section 2, Sub-section 10, recognizing those who fought for Bangladesh’s independence against the Pakistani military and their auxiliary forces, including political groups like the then Muslim League, Nezam-e-Islami Party, and Jamaat-e-Islami.
The minister emphasized that the legal definition now clearly establishes that the then Jamaat-e-Islami opposed the Liberation War and stood against the independence of Bangladesh. He noted that when the amendment bill was introduced in Parliament, Jamaat-e-Islami did not raise any objections. “Their silence effectively indicates consent,” he remarked, adding that the National Citizen Party (NCP) had submitted written support for the amendment.
Addressing contemporary political issues, Asaduzzaman mentioned that his party has termed parts of the “July Charter” as misleading. He stated, “BNP will take necessary steps to implement the charter where appropriate, but it does not agree with the deceptive elements, particularly those related to the referendum component.”
The discussion program was organized by the Shailkupa municipal unit of Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, with Upazila BNP President Abul Hossain, General Secretary Humayun Babar Firoz, and Organising Secretary Mustafizur Rahman Turki also speaking at the event.