July fighters' indemnity ordinance to be tabled as bill: Home minister
Lawmakers have agreed to convert the July Mass Uprising protection ordinance into a bill, as the government reiterates its commitment to ensuring indemnity and legal safeguards for July fighters.
A consensus has been reached to place the July Mass Uprising (Protection and Liability Determination) Ordinance in the parliament as a bill and pass it, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said today (30 March).
The government is committed to granting indemnity and legal-constitutional protection to the July fighters, he said while responding to a supplementary question from Rangpur-4 constituency MP Akhtar Hossain.
In line with point six of the pledge, the "July Mass Uprising (Protection and Liability Determination) Ordinance" was promulgated during the tenure of the interim government.
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He further said that the ordinance is among 133 promulgated measures that have been submitted to a parliamentary special committee for review.
"The matter will be discussed at a meeting of the special committee on 2 April, and it will be decided by unanimous consent that the ordinance will be tabled in parliament as a bill and passed," he added.
The home minister also said that during the 2024 mass uprising, attacks were carried out on students and civilians on the streets "like an invading force", resulting in killings and injuries, noting that those incidents were settled within the context of the situation at the time.
Addressing claims circulating on social media by what he described as an "Awami fascist group" particularly about whether these killings will be brought to justice or not.
"I also said at another event that would it then mean trying freedom fighters for the killing of collaborators in 1971, if someone files a case now?" he added.
He said all members of parliament have agreed on ensuring protection for the July fighters.
