Big cheer for war heroes

The freedom fighters decorated for valour and the injured freedom fighters would get more than double their monthly allowance from January 1.

A total 669 awarded freedom fighters as well as the families of seven Bir Shreshthas and around 12,500 injured freedom fighters would get the benefits.

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A cabinet committee on freedom fighters' allowance and benefits made the decision yesterday at a meeting at the finance ministry with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair.

In July 2015, the government increased the allowance of freedom fighters to Tk 8,000 from Tk 5,000. It was increased to Tk 10,000 from Tk 8,000 in January this year.

There are some 2.12 lakh freedom fighters already listed. The number was 1.98 lakh in the 2002 gazette published during the BNP-Jamaat government. Besides, 1.02 lakh applications for freedom fighters' certificates are pending approval.

The number of awarded freedom fighters is 676 in four categories. Of them seven is Bir Shreshtha, while 68 is Bir Uttam, 175 is Bir Bikram and 426 is Bir Pratik.

Muhith, in his budget speech in June 2, announced that the monthly allowances of the injured and decorated freedom fighters will be increased.

Injured freedom fighters are categorised in A, B, C and D based on the severity of their injuries.

If a decorated freedom fighter is also an injured one, he or she would get the highest benefits of the two. 

The finance ministry would soon issue a gazette in this regard.

All the decorated and injured freedom fighters would get two annual bonuses as well.

The children of deceased freedom fighters would be eligible for the benefits.

At present, freedom fighters, their children, and grandchildren enjoy 30 percent quota in government jobs. In addition, freedom fighters' children and grandchildren get special  quotas in public schools, colleges, and   universities.