Latest news with #Mujib
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Muktijoddha'-to-‘associate' shift upsets Bangla veterans
1 2 Kolkata: Bangladesh govt's ordinance, which has redefined the 'Freedom Fighter' status for those involved with the 1971 Liberation War, has sharp reactions from both sides of the border. The National Freedom Fighters Council (Amendment) Ordinance-2025 on Tuesday amended the previous National Freedom Fighters Council Act-2022. According to the ordinance, a 'Bir Muktijoddha' is defined as someone who, between March 26, 1971, and Dec 16, 1971, either prepared for war and received training at villages across Bangladesh, or crossed the border into India to enrol in various training camps with the aim of participating in the Liberation War. The new categories are 'Muktijuddher Shohojogi' (Liberation War associate), 'Muktijoddha Poribar' (family of a freedom fighter) and 'Muktijuddher Shohojogi Poribar' (family of a Liberation War associate). The initial confusion over Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's status as a Bir Muktijoddha was laid to rest with Faruk-e-Azam, advisor to the ministry of Liberation War affairs, saying Mujibur, along with the 400 leaders named in the news reports, were still recognised 'Muktijoddha'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Is How Much New Windows Should Cost In 2025 Storm Through Windows Learn More Undo Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra artists and personnel, Bangladeshi journalists who worked in support of the war and Swadhin Bangla football team members will now be considered Liberation War associates. A Bangladeshi national, who was commander of Dhaka north guerrilla unit and continues to be called a 'Bir Muktijoddha' as he was trained in India by the Indian Army and Bengal Regiment, opposed the move. "You can't push down artists and Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra personnel, who were the main inspiration to citizens and freedom fighters, as associates. If Faruk-e-Azam's statement that the term 'associate' does not imply any reduction in respect, it must be notified in a gazette," he said. Mujib's contributions to the Liberation War have become an important topic of discussion. Kolkata-based director Soumitra Dastidar, now in Dhaka, said he believed the Liberation War was not an outcome of Mujib's call. "There is historical evidence supporting it. I support the decision to drop Mujibur's name from the definition of the Liberation War..." Dastidar said, pointing out he did not support renaming some as associates of the war. "It was a people's war. The mother, who cooked for fighters, or the boy, who sneaked in information, should be considered muktijoddhas." In the new ordinance, Mujib's reference as the 'Father of the Nation' has been dropped from the preamble of Bangladesh. In Kolkata, Abhijit Dasgupta, director of 'Invincible Bravura' on the formation of the first 'Nau Commando' in the 1971 war, opposed this step. "The new categories are adding to confusion. It should be categorically notified in a gazette to ensure that the contribution of all freedom fighters are acknowledged and honoured," Dasgupta said.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Bangladesh drops the title of ‘Father of the Nation' for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
The interim government of Bangladesh changed a 2022 Act and removed the mention of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the 'Father of the Nation'. The development came soon after the interim administration led by Prof. Mohammed Yunus brought in a new set of currency notes that removed the image of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The new notification brought on June 3 does not refer to Sheikh Mujib as the 'Father of the Nation' while referring to the war of 1971 and the role of freedom fighters. In contrast, the 2022 Act referred to him as Jatir Pita, (Father of the Nation) at multiple points while describing the heritage of the war of 1971. Earlier this week, the Yunus government introduced a series of currency notes that depicted the pluralistic heritage of Bangladesh while removing the well-known image of Mujibur Rahman that is seen in existing currency notes of Bangladesh. The interim government has defended the removal of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the 'Liberation War Act ' and said, he continues to be a 'freedom fighter'. In a statement to the media, the interim government said, 'President of the 1971 government of Bangladesh-in-exile Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other leaders like Tajuddin Ahmed, Mansur Ali, and AHM Quamruzzaman continue to be freedom fighters'. Under the Bir Mukti Joddha category, the 2022 law used to include veterans of Mujib Bahini, one of the several guerrilla outfits of 1971, as the 'freedom fighters'. However, the latest version of the act skips the mention of Mujib Bahini. The latest notification means the surviving members of the Mujib Bahini and their family members will not be eligible to claim the benefits that are given to the 1971 freedom fighters in Bangladesh. The new definition of freedom fighters, as per the notification, will include people who helped the cause of independence by advocacy and campaigning while being outside or inside the country. Adding a new section to the definition of freedom fighters, the new act has included, 'Associates of Liberation War' or those who 'supported freedom of Bangladesh during 26 March to 16 December 1971'. The interim government formed after the Sheikh Hasina government's removal in August 2024 has been vocal about the alleged excesses committed during the Awami League's rule of 15 years between 2009-2024. Earlier in May, the interim government suspended political activities by the Awami League that was co-founded by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with Maulana Bhashani and Husayn Shaheed Suhrawardy. The uprising that unseated Sheikh Hasina had also targeted the symbols related to her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Soon after the departure of Ms. Hasina on August 5, 2024, a statue of Sheikh Mujib was destroyed, and the museum at 32 Dhanmondi, where Sheikh Mujib was assassinated along with most of his family members on August 15, 1975, was destroyed by a mob on 5 February 2025..
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman cancelled: Bangladesh seeks new 'father' in Pakistan
Bangladesh's retreat from its founding ethos began when in August last year, after the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the statue of her father and national founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was toppled by an unruly crowd. Now the erasure of his image from the country's currency a few days ago signals efforts to undo Bangladesh by sliding towards East Pakistan, as the country was known before it broke away from Pakistan. There are reports that the caretaker government under Muhammad Yunus has also revoked Mujib's status as a freedom-fighter, though the government has denied that. These developments not only carry profound domestic implications but also pose serious strategic and national security challenges for India. Disowning the 'Father of the Nation' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, revered as the Father of the Nation, symbolized Bangladesh's historic break from Pakistan and its embrace of a secular, Bengali nationalism. His leadership in the 1971 liberation war, in collaboration with Indian forces, laid the moral and political bedrock of the republic. His most prominent statue that once stood in Dhaka's Mrityunjayee Prangan was not merely a monument; it was a manifestation of the state's ideological origin story. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Bayan Lepas: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You) Unsold Furniture | Search Ads Learn More Undo The toppling of the statue and destruction following Hasina's fall by Islamist crowds was an unmistakable political and symbolic repudiation of Mujib's legacy. That repudiation was institutionalized a few days ago, when the Bangladesh Bank issued new Taka 1,000, 50, and 20 notes, pointedly omitting Mujib's image and replacing it with symbols associated with the protest movement. Even more controversially, reports emerged that the interim government had quietly revoked Mujib's status as a freedom-fighter -- a move officially denied, but widely believed to be accurate. These acts are not isolated decisions. They represent a conscious attempt by the emergent political class to move Bangladesh's ideological compass from secularism and regional solidarity with India toward Islamist radicalism and a flirtation with the ideological memory of Pakistan. Live Events A new East Pakistan? Historical revisionism is now visibly underway. The new regime has embarked on a process of educational reform, repositioning Ziaur Rahman, the founder of the opposition BNP and a figure with more ambiguous ties to Pakistan, as the true architect of independence. National holidays commemorating Mujib's birth and death have been removed, and his portrait has been taken down from key state institutions. This erasure of historical memory is accompanied by a resurgence of Islamist narratives. Extremist elements, long marginal in Bangladeshi mainstream politics, have found new political space in the post-Hasina vacuum. Minority Hindu community, historically protected under Awami League governments, has faced large-scale violence and intimidation even as the interim government under Yunus has largely remained silent or tried to negate anti-Hindu violence. What is emerging is a Bangladesh that increasingly resembles the ideological contours of the very state it fought to separate from in 1971, a state defined less by cultural identity and more by Islamist jihadi politics. What Bangladesh's slide into past means for India These internal realignments in Bangladesh have immediate and long-term implications for India, arguably its most consequential regional partner. India's relationship with Bangladesh has historically been defined by shared narratives of liberation, linguistic nationalism and secular values. A Bangladesh that questions its break from Pakistan also implicitly questions the legitimacy of India's role in its birth, thereby altering the moral basis of bilateral cooperation. During Hasina's rule, India did not have to face Islamist radicalism in the east. The resurgence of extremist networks in Bangladesh, particularly those with pan-Islamist sympathies, risks turning the country into a breeding ground for cross-border militancy. Bangladesh's transition has seen the quiet rehabilitation of Islamist clerics and organizations once deemed threats to regional security. If these groups gain deeper political footholds, India's vulnerable northeastern states may face renewed infiltration, radicalization and communal unrest, which India had experienced during the rule of Khaleda Zia who had friendly ties with Pakistan. India and Bangladesh share one of the world's longest porous borders. Political instability, combined with the growing persecution of minorities, could precipitate a renewed wave of migration into Indian territory, particularly into Assam, Tripura, and West Bengal. Such an influx would not only strain local resources but also reignite longstanding ethnic and communal tensions within India. With the retreat of pro-India leadership in Bangladesh as it has recently banned ousted PM Hasina's party Awami League, there are growing indications that Bangladesh may deepen its engagements with Pakistan and China. This includes signs of increased economic and military consultations. A trilateral alignment among these states, however informal, would create a new axis of friction in South Asia, complicating India's efforts to maintain regional equilibrium. Reportedly, Bangladesh has invited China to develop an old airport near Chicken's Neck area, India's sensitive border zone. India must now approach Bangladesh not as a post-liberation ally, but as a fluid and potentially adversarial neighbor. India needs a recalibrated strategy grounded in realism rather than sentiment. This includes enhanced border surveillance, renewed investment in counter-radicalization initiatives in eastern India, and robust diplomatic engagement with minority groups and civil society actors within Bangladesh, in addition increased military vigilance. At stake is not merely the future of bilateral relations, but the strategic architecture of South Asia. Another Pakistan on India's eastern border will plunge the subcontinent into permanent unrest.
India Gazette
a day ago
- General
- India Gazette
Sheikh Mujib's freedom fighter status has not been revoked, says Yunus's deputy press secretary
Dhaka [Bangladesh], June 4 (ANI): Bangladesh's interim government on Wednesday clarified that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's freedom fighter status has not been revoked. The government issued an ordinance amending the National Freedom Fighters Council, Jamuka Act on Tuesday night, defining a new definition of a heroic freedom fighter. 'Sheikh Mujib's freedom fighter status has not been revoked despite the amendment of the Jamuka Act,' Azad Majumder, deputy press secretary to the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, told ANI. Bangladeshi media reported that Mujibnagar government leaders, including Sheikh Mujib, had their freedom fighter status revoked, but the government clarified that Mujibnagar government leaders, including Mujib, will remain freedom fighters. Adviser to the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, Faruk-e-Azam, said that those who were in the Mujibnagar government were also freedom fighters. Those who fought the liberation war with arms and those who led it were freedom fighters. However, the officials and employees of that government were associates of the liberation war. He said that according to the Jamuka Ordinance, diplomats including the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra are associate freedom fighters. Associate does not mean that their honour has been tarnished. There are four categories of freedom fighters: first, those Bangladeshi professionals who made special contributions to the liberation war abroad and played an active role in shaping world public opinion. Secondly, those who served as officials, employees, envoys, and other assistants under the Bangladesh Government (Mujibnagar) formed during the Liberation War. Thirdly, all the artists and technicians of the Swadhin Bangla Radio Station and all the Bangladeshi journalists who served in support of the Liberation War at home and abroad. Fourthly, the Swadhin Bangla Football Team. Bangladesh gained independence through a nine-month bloody war in 1971 against Pakistan under the leadership of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. India helped Bangladesh achieve independence. (ANI)
The Print
3 days ago
- Business
- The Print
Bangladesh replaces its founder Mujibur Rehman with temples, landmarks in new currency notes
The Bangladesh Bank has unveiled redesigned Tk 20, Tk 50, and Tk 1,000 notes ahead of Eid. 'Under the new series and design, the notes will not feature any human portraits, but will instead showcase natural landscapes and traditional landmarks,' Bangladesh Bank spokesman Arif Hossain Khan told AFP. The new notes will showcase symbols of the country's heritage, including temples, monasteries, historic buildings, and artwork by Zainul Abedin, a prominent Bangladeshi artist. New Delhi: Bangladesh's central bank, under Nobel Laureate Mohammad Yunus' interim administration, has dropped the portrait of the country's founding father and exiled leader Sheikh Hasina's father Sheikh Mujibur Rehman from new currency notes. The Tk 20 note features the Kantaji Temple, a Hindu temple in Dinajpur, and the Paharpur Monastery. The Tk 50 note showcases Ahsan Manzil, a palace in capital Dhaka and a famine-era painting by Zainul Abedin. The Tk 1,000 note, printed in purple, includes images of the National Martyrs' Memorial and the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. All three bear the Royal Bengal Tiger watermark and the bank's monogram. The redesigned notes are being introduced following a political controversy over Sheikh Mujibur Rehman's face on the currency notes. Last Eid, despite tradition, no new notes were issued. After the July protests and the ousting of ex-Prime Minister Hasina, the central bank barred commercial banks from circulating stored notes bearing Mujib's image. The central bank says the new designs aim to curb counterfeiting while emphasising national identity through depictions of historic and religious landmarks. The updated banknotes will gradually replace existing notes, though older versions featuring Mujib's portrait as well as current coins will remain legal tender, The Daily Star reported. Also Read: Retd Bangladeshi major general calls for 'occupation' of India's Northeast if it attacks Pakistan Symbolic changes The currency redesign is the latest in a series of symbolic changes made under the interim administration. Similar changes have surfaced in the education sector. The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has revised the content of 441 textbooks for the 2025 academic year, removing or altering references to Mujib's role in Bangladesh's independence. Some new textbooks now credit General Ziaur Rahman with declaring the country's freedom, reversing decades of official narrative. Over 400 million updated textbooks have already been distributed to students nationwide, according to The Daily Star. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also Read: Shake-ups & protests lay bare simmering fault lines between Yunus govt & Bangladesh's diplomats
