Adviser to the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs Faruk-e-Azam said that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with four national leaders Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Md. Mansur Ali and AHM Kamruzzaman, are freedom fighters.

He made this statement while answering various questions from journalists at the Secretariat on Wednesday (June 4).

Farooq-e-Azam said that those who were in the Mujibnagar government will also be considered freedom fighters. Those who fought the liberation war armedly, those who led it are freedom fighters. However, the officials and employees of that government will be considered associate freedom fighters.

He also said that diplomats, including the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, are collaborators of freedom fighters. Collaborators do not mean that their honor has been tarnished.

The advisor said that although the new definition of a heroic freedom fighter is clearly mentioned in the amended ordinance of the National Freedom Fighters Council (JAMUKA) Act, it is being debated.

Faruk-e-Azam said, the definition of freedom fighter was implemented in 1972. It was changed in 2018 and 2022. The honor, status, and privileges of both freedom fighters and collaborators of the liberation war will remain the same. We could not have become independent if we had not fought the liberation war nationally. Nothing has been more glorious in the history of our nation than the liberation war.

Earlier, on Tuesday (June 3) night, the National Freedom Fighters Council Ordinance was published in the gazette.