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Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abdul Kalam Azad Majumder today warned that the interim government would take legal actions if any news outlet spreads misleading news.
“The interim government is very liberal about independent of newspapers and it always welcomes criticism. But no license is given to anyone that he or she would publish wrong or misleading news if wants,” he told a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy here this afternoon.
Azad asked the newspapers, which earlier carried incorrect news items regarding revocation of the freedom fighter status of the president and prime minister of the Mujibnagar government and over a hundred of leaders, to make corrections of their news in their printed editions.
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad were also present at the press briefing.
Earlier in the day, Chief Adviser’s Press Wing called false and misleading the newspapers’ reports claiming that the recognition of freedom fighters of the president and prime minister of the Mujibnagar government and over a hundred of leaders has been revoked.
“The news published in several newspapers, including Samakal, Jugantar, Ittefaq and Kalerkanth, claiming that the recognition of freedom fighters of more than a hundred leaders, including president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, acting president Syed Nazrul Islam, prime minister Tajuddin Ahmad and two ministers Md. Mansur Ali and AHM Kamruzzaman of the Mujibnagar government, has been cancelled is completely baseless, false and misleading,” it said.
The press wing’s statement was posted on its verified Facebook account – CA Press Wing Pacts.
Liberation War Affairs Adviser Farooq E Azam said those who were in the Mujibnagar government were also freedom fighters.
Those who fought in the liberation war with arms, and those who conducted it, were freedom fighters, he said, adding that however, the officials and employees of that government are associate freedom fighters.
The adviser said according to the National Freedom Fighters Council (JAMUKA) Ordinance, diplomats, including those involved in Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, are associate freedom fighters and associate does not mean that their honour has been tarnished.
He said the definition of freedom fighter that was in 1972 has been implemented.
He also said the definition of freedom fighters was changed in 2018 and 2022, while the honour, status and benefits of both freedom fighters and associate freedom fighters of the liberation war will remain the same.
