Staff Reporter :
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has primarily prepared the much-anticipated list of 2,504 Rajakars who collaborated with the Pakistani forces during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.
The ministry on Wednesday has submitted a partial list to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Liberation War Affairs.
Of the total list, the ministry has found 1,607 Rajakars in Rangpur Division which is the highest number compared with other seven divisions.
The ministry did not find names of Rajakars in some districts like Khagrachhari, Magura, Sherpur, Rajbari, Gaibandha and Patuakhali. The number of Rajakars in Meherpur district is 216.
In the Nilphamari district, Dimla Thana has 239 Rajakars, Domar 336, Nilphamari Sadar 329, Jaldhaka 312, Khishoreganj 151, Saidpur 223 and Hatibandha Upazila of Lamonirhat district has 17 Rajakars.
Of the other districts, Chandpur has nine Rajakars, Jeshore 126 Rajakars, Shariatpur 41 Rajakars, Bagerhat one Rajakar, Narail 50 Rajakars, Pirgacha of Rangpur district 35 Rajakars, Gendaria of Dhaka district two Rajakars, Banaripara of Barishal district 82 Rajakars, Sirajganj Sadar three Rajakars, Pagla and Gaforgaon of Mymensing 26 Rajakars, Rangunia upazila 183, Kachua of Bagerhat one Rajakar, Shyamnagar seven Rajakars, Kolaroa 75 Rajakars, Raypura of Laxmipur 29 Rajakars, Sunamganj Sadar four Rajakars, Bera of Paban two Rajakars, Ulipur of Kurigram one Rajakar, and Matlab North of Chandpur one Rajakar.
On the other hand, the previous parliamentary sub-committee that was responsible for preparing the complete list of Rajakars, has been dissolved because the sub-committee failed to hold regular meetings.
Now a new sub-committee has been formed with the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Liberation War Affairs Shahjahan Khan as the convener and other two members are Jatiya Party leader Kazi Firoze Rashid and Awami League leader Captain ABM Tajul Islam.
The convener said the size of the previous committee was big and it was difficult to get a full quorum. So the previous sub-committee has been dissolved.
The previous sub-committee was formed on 9th August 2020 to prepare the list of Rajakars.
The sub-committee sent letters to the district commissions seeking the list of Rajakars, Al-Badar and Al-Shams. But the list sent by the district administration did not seem acceptable to the sub-committee, the convener said.
Some district administration told us that there were no Rajakars in their districts but it was not believable at all, the convener said.
