As many as 189,311 Freedom Fighters (FFs) are, currently receiving a monthly honorarium, says Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Hoque.
“As a continuation of the welfare activities for FFs, the government has increased the amount of allowance several times,” he told parliament in reply to a question from lawmaker Syeda Rubina Akter on Thursday (Jan 30), reports BSS.
The minister said each freedom fighter is getting Tk 12,000 a month from 2019-20 fiscal along with two festival allowance of Tk 10,000 each.
“The FFs and their family members are also getting Taka 2,000 as Bengali Nababarsha allowance during the present financial year along with the state honorarium. Alive FF is also getting Tk 5,000 as the victory day allowance,” he added.
Besides, Bangladesh Muktijodhha Kallyan Trust is also giving allowance to 12,176 awarded martyred and wounded FFs, he informed the House, adding, “The government is actively considering a rise in FFs' honorarium.”
Mozammel said that a total of 20 awarded FFs, who got injuries from 96-100 percent are getting Tk 45,000 honorarium each of them per month under class-A from Jan 1, 2016, while 146 FFs injured from 61-95 percent under class-B are withdrawing Tk 35,000 each a month.
He said the Kallyan Trust is giving allowance to 2,329 awarded 20-60 percent wounded FFs under class-C at Tk 30,000 each a month, while Tk 25,000 is being received by each 1-19 percent wounded FF per month as honorarium and 2,532 FFs are under class-D.
The minister, however, said a total of 2,500 martyred family members are getting Tk 30,000 each of the family per month, 303 deceased wounded FF’s families are receiving Tk 30,000 each of family per month and seven Bir Shreshtha families are getting Tk 35,000 each of family a month.