Bangladesh drops 'Father of the Nation' title for Mujibur Rahman as it amends freedom fighters' law

Dhaka: Bangladesh's interim government has dropped the "Father of the Nation" title for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as it amended a legislation, revising the definition of freedom fighter, according to media reports on Wednesday.

The move on Tuesday comes a few days after the Muhammad Yunus-led government dropped the portrait of the country’s founding father and deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s father Mujibur Rahman from new currency notes.

The interim government has amended the National Freedom Fighters Council Act, "altering" the definition of freedom fighter, The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs issued the related ordinance on Tuesday night, it said.

The amendment to the law also "modifies the term 'Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman'”, the report said.

According to bdnews24.com portal, "The words 'Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman' and portions of the law that mentioned the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman have been deleted." The Daily Star newspaper reported that the ordinance also makes slight changes to the definition of the Liberation War.

"The new definition of Liberation War drops the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The previous one mentioned that the war was waged responding to Bangabandhu's call for independence," it said.

According to the revised ordinance, all MNAs (members of the national assembly) and MPAs (members of the provincial assembly) associated with the wartime government-in-exile of Bangladesh (Mujibnagar Government), who were later considered members of the erstwhile constituent assembly, will now be categorised as “associates of the Liberation War”, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

Until now, they were recognised as freedom fighters.

As per the amendment, all civilian individuals who, between March 26 and December 16, 1971, received combat training or made preparations for war within the country, enrolled in training camps in India with the aim of participating in the war, took up arms against the occupying Pakistani military forces and their local collaborators, in the pursuit of Bangladesh’s independence, and who were within the government-determined minimum age at that time, will be recognised as freedom fighters.

The local collaborators include Razakars, Al-Badr, Al-Shams, the then-Muslim League, Jamaat-e-Islami, Nezam-e-Islam and members of the peace committees.

Members of the armed forces, East Pakistan Rifles (EPR), police, Mukti Bahini, the Mujibnagar government and its recognised forces, naval commandos, Kilo Force, and Ansar will also be included under the definition of freedom fighters.

Women who were subjected to torture by the invading Pakistani forces and their collaborators during the war (Birangona) will also be recognised as freedom fighters under the new definition.

Doctors, nurses and medical assistants who served injured fighters in field hospitals during the war will also be acknowledged as freedom fighters.

The ordinance redefines Liberation War as the armed struggle carried out between March 26 and December 16, 1971, by the people of Bangladesh aiming to establish a sovereign democratic state founded on equality, human dignity and social justice, against the occupying Pakistani armed forces and their collaborators, the Dhaka Tribune report said.

In January, the interim government introduced new textbooks for primary and secondary students for the 2025 academic year that state that Ziaur Rahman, who was an Army major and later a sector commander of the Liberation War, declared the country’s independence in 1971, replacing the previous ones crediting founding father Mujibur Rahman with the declaration.