<i>V-day in, V-day out, rezakars go untouched </i>
Freedom fighters darken the names of two rajakars that had been 'mistakenly' inscribed on the plaque of freedom fighters' memorial built during the tenure of past BNP-led four-party alliance government at Bhaina square in Magura town.Photo: STAR
The Victory Day is going to be celebrated in a lacklustre atmosphere in Magura tomorrow as freedom fighters are unhappy over Liberation War Affairs Ministry's indifference to erase the names of two rajakars (collaborators of Pakistani occupation forces) and some fake freedom fighters engraved on the victory memorial plaque in the district town. The memorial was built by Magura Zila Parishad at Bhaina Square at a cost of Tk 14.10 lakh and formally inaugurated by the then BNP lawmaker from Magura-2 constituency Quazi Salemul Haque Kamal in 2003. MS Khan Ali Reza Raja, former commander of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Magura district unit, made an appeal to the secretary of the Liberation War Affairs Ministry on January 1, 2004 to erase the names of the two collaborators and fake FFs from the memorial plaque. Though the aggrieved freedom fighters covered the names of the two rajakars with black paint in 2007, the ministry is yet to erase the names officially. “We boycotted Victory Day programmes in the last seven years as the day was celebrated keeping the names of ajakars on the memorial plaque," said freedom fighter Mian Abdul Halim Miraj. “It is a matter of great regret that names of razakars Aminuddin and Khater Ali have been inscribed on the victory memorial plaque,” another freedom fighter Zahidul Islam Baku said. Baku said Aminuddin and Khater Ali were killed during a gun battle between the freedom fighters and Pakistani occupation army at Kamanna village in Jhenidah district. “The names of the two rajakars have been engraved on the memorial plague, ignoring the supreme sacrifices of freedom fighters," he said, adding that the ministry concerned should take immediate steps to erase the names of the two from victory memorial plaque. Apart from the two Razakars, the names of some fake freedom fighters have been engraved on the memorial plaque, said freedom fighters. They urged the authorities concerned to erase the names as early as possible.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments