National

Razakar list should have been scrutinised properly: Minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Tuesday said the Liberation War Affairs Ministry should have properly scrutinised the list of Razaakrs before publishing it.

“The Liberation War Affairs Ministry didn’t scrutinise the list before publishing it… it should have been scrutinised,“ he said while speaking at a programme organised by Bangladesh Krishak League at Bangabandhu Avenue, reports UNB.

The Home Ministry provided a list of Razakars upon request from the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, he added.

The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs on Sunday published a list of 10,789 Razakars who collaborated with the Pakistani occupation forces during the War of Liberation in 1971.

But the official list of Razakars drew huge criticisms as the name of a Language Movement veteran and war-wounded freedom fighter among others is there in it.

Besides, 26 Hindu community members and six women were mentioned as Razakars in the list which contains names of around 1,000 collaborators from Barishal.

Mihir Lal Dutta, a renowned Language Movement activist, died on January 20, 2007.He sustained bullet wounds in his abdomen during the Liberation War. His father and a brother were also martyred during the war. But surprisingly, he was named as a Razakar in the recently published list.

His son Shuvabrata Dutta vented anger over it and demanded punishment of those involved in preparing the list.

Dr Manisha Chakraborty, member secretary of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal’s district unit, said her father Tapan Chakraborty, who is a listed freedom fighter, was also mentioned as a Razakar in the list.

Her anger does not end here as the list also includes her grandmother Usha Rani Chakraborty, wife of Sudip Chakraborty, a martyred freedom fighter.