Zia among five stripped of gallantry award

Nearly 50 years into the country's independence, the Bir Uttam gallantry award conferred on late president Ziaur Rahman has been revoked.

The Jatiya Muktijoddhya Council, well known as Jamuka, in its 72nd meeting on Tuesday made the decision. 

It also has cancelled gallantry awards of four retired army officials Shariful Haq Dalim, MA Rashed Chowdhury, SHMB Noor Chowdhury, and Mosleh Uddin-- the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujubur Rahman.  

Also read- High Court suspends gallantry awards of 4 fugitive killers of Bangabandhu

The decision will be effective once the Liberation War Affairs Ministry issues a gazette notification, stopping all state facilities of them and their families.

Meanwhile, Law Minister Anisul Huq after receiving a Covid-19 shot at a Dhaka hospital on Wednesday afternoon told reporters that there was no legal bar to revoking the state honour of Zia.

"If anyone is a freedom fighter, it is quite normal for him or her to hold the title. But what if someone tried to destroy the spirit of Liberation War under the pretext of a war hero?," he said.

"Does that person deserve to be titled as a freedom fighter? I'm leave the question to the people," he concluded.  

In another development, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque while addressing a program in Gazipur said the move to revoke the gallantry award was not politically motivated.

"We formed a committee to find out who played what role in the killing of Bangabandhu. The findings would be tabled at a meeting soon. The titles would be repealed based on the documents needed," he added. 

Raihanul Islam Akand contributed to this report