Redefining freedom fighter (Bir Muktijudda) of 1971 liberation war with three sub categories,Younus led interim government has promulgated a new ordinance. The ordinance, enacted on the night of June 3, 2025, replaces earlier definitions and aims to create a more structured and focused recognition system for those who contributed to the country’s independence.
This revision comes as part of wider legal and institutional reforms being undertaken by the interim government. It marks the twelfth official change to the definition since 1971 and is designed to standardise the criteria under which individuals are formally recognised for their role in the Liberation War.
Under the revised framework, the title freedom fighter will now only apply to individuals who directly participated in armed combat or operations against the Pakistani military during the war, which included members of the Mukti Bahini, Bangladesh Liberation Force (BLF), naval commandos, Kilo Flight pilots, defected East Pakistan Rifles (EPR) and police personnel, and recognised members of the Anasar and Mujib Bahini, lasted from March 26 to December 16, 1971.
In a notable expansion, the new definition officially recognises several non-combat groups who provided critical support to the resistance effort. These include women subjected to sexual violence during the war—commonly referred to as Birangonas—as well as doctors, nurses, and medical assistants who treated injured fighters in the field. This change aims to acknowledge the suffering and sacrifice made by non-combatants who contributed to the war effort under perilous conditions.
The ordinance also introduces three new legal categories. The first, Muktijuddher Shohojogi or Liberation War Associates, includes those who supported the war effort through organising, advocacy, or diplomatic initiatives rather than direct combat. The second, Muktijoddha Poribar, refers to the family members of recognised freedom fighters. The third, Muktijuddher Shohojogi Poribar, identifies families of those who supported the Liberation War but did not directly take part in fighting.
These new classifications are intended to recognise the diverse ways individuals contributed to the war effort. However, they do not carry the same entitlements—such as state honours, pensions, or quotas—that are reserved for those officially recognised as freedom fighters under the updated criteria.
One of the most consequential changes in the ordinance is the removal of Constituent Assembly members from the list of those considered freedom fighters. These individuals had been previously recognised for their role in drafting the nation’s first constitution and leading the post-war transition. Their exclusion under the revised definition is seen as a shift in focus from political contributions to frontline participation and is likely to generate debate across political and historical circles.
In addition to these definitional changes, the ordinance has modified key symbolic language. References to the “Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman” and the “spirit of the Liberation War” have been removed. Instead, the law refers to the “goals of the Liberation War,” which are defined in terms of equity, human dignity, and social justice. This linguistic change reflects an apparent effort to depoliticise the legal terminology used in official recognition and to emphasise broader constitutional principles.
The reform has already generated mixed reactions. Supporters argue that the changes bring long-overdue clarity and prevent misuse of the freedom fighter title. Critics, however, believe that the revised definition may marginalise those who made significant political and organisational contributions to the war. The ordinance is expected to be presented in the upcoming parliamentary session for ratification. Until then, discussions are likely to continue about how a nation defines and honours those who made its independence possible
