Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Tuesday asked the government to suspend the state gallantry awards of four persons who were later convicted on charges of killing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members.
The four convicted persons who are now absconding are Nur Chowdhury, Shariful Haque Dalim, Rashed Chowdhury and Moslehuddin Khan. Nur Chowdhury was given the gallantry award ‘Bir Bikram’, Shariful Haque Dalim was given the title Bir Uttam, and Rashed Chowdhury and Moslehuddin Khan were given the honour of Bir Protik for their contribution during the Liberation War in 1971.
The High Court also issued a ruling asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain in four weeks as to why their inaction to cancel the state gallantry awards of the four persons should not be declared illegal.
Liberation War secretary and cabinet secretary have been asked to comply with the ruling, said the concerned lawyers.
Suspension of the four accused persons’ gallantry awards will continue till disposal of the rule, the HC said.
The HC Bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order and the ruling following a writ petition filed by a Supreme Court lawyer, Subir Nandi Das, seeking necessary directives on this issue.
Lawyer Abdul Kaiyum Khan appeared for the petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy represented the State. Ending the court proceedings Abdul Kaiyum Khan said, “They are the freedom fighters who participated in the Liberation War in 1971. But the awards of heroism that were given after independence are not their right. As the State has recognized them, the state can withdraw that recognition if it demands wants.”
The then government had given the awards in 1973 and also issued a gazette notification to this effect on December 15 the same year.
According to the gazette notification, seven freedom fighters were given gallantry awards as Bir Shrestha, 68 were given the awards as Bir Uttam, 175 were given the awards as Bir Bikram and 426 were awarded as Bir Protik for their contribution in the Liberation War of Bangladesh.
Subir Nandi Das submitted the writ petition as a public interest litigation to the HC on December 2 saying that the persons who were convicted on charges of killing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members cannot have the state gallantry awards.
The State can cancel their awards under Section 14 of the General Clauses Act, he said in the petition, adding that many states of the world including the USA have cancelled such awards of many people on different reasons.
