UNB, Dhaka :Terming the freedom fighters the greatest sons of the soil, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday reaffirmed her commitment to do whatever is needed for their welfare and their heirs, and raise their monthly honorarium to Tk 10,000.”The freedom fighters have given us a country and a flag putting their lives at stake …our Liberation War is the greatest incident of the country’s history,” she said.The Prime Minister said this while addressing a reception accorded to the family members of Bir Sreshthas and selected recipients of gallantry awards, including Bir Uttam, Bir Bikram and Bir Pratik at Dhaka Cantonment, marking the Armed Forces Day 2015.Sheikh Hasina directed the authorities concernedto prepare a flawless list of freedom fighters as a plan is under consideration to provide them with certificates with nine security barcode on completion of their database. At the function, the Prime Minister presented gifts to the successors of seven Birshreshthos as well as other gallantry award-recipients.She also handed over ‘Bahini Padak (forces medals) and ‘Osamanya Seba Padak’ (outstanding service medals) among 19 armed forces officers, junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and members of other ranks in recognition of their heroic role both during the war and the normal time.The Prime Minister said that the work on developing a web application with detailed information of the gallantry award-recipient freedom fighters has already been completed under the supervision of the AFD.She hoped with this it would be possible to remember all the valiant freedom fighters who made the highest sacrifice for Bangladesh’s independence.Sheikh Hasina highlighted various other measures taken for the welfare of freedom fighters, which include increasing the allowance of the gallantry award-recipient freedom fighters and general freedom fighters as well as raising the number of allowance receivers, providing rations to the families of the martyred and war-wounded freedom fighters, construction of Freedom Fighters’ Complex in all districts and upazilas.Hasina said Tk 350 crore has been allocated in the current 2015-16 fiscal year for the allowances, medical treatment and ration goods for the family members of the martyred and war-wounded freedom fighters.She said, she has already given directives to bring the martyred and war-wounded freedom fighters and their successors under the state honorarium. The Liberation War Affairs Ministry has taken a Tk 227.97 crore project to construct houses for landless insolvent freedom fighters for their rehabilitation.Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division (AFD) Lt Gen Moinul Islam delivered the welcome address at the function held on the AFD premises.Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, PM’s Security Adviser Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Chief of Army Staff General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Haque, Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral M Farid Habib and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Abu Esrar and high civil and military officials were present at the function.
