Revised list of Razakars to be published on Victory Day

The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has decided to publish the revised list of Razakars on December 16, the Victory Day, instead of previously announced March 26 as it has yet to form committees to scrutinise the flawed list.

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque said last week that his ministry would form the committees soon.

"Committees will be formed from the upazila level to the national level for making the list flawless," he told The Business Standard, adding that they have now set December 16, the 50th Victory Day of the country, as the new date for publishing the revised list.

Mozammel said the initiative was taken in an attempt to let the next generations know about the anti-liberation forces.

On December 15 last year, the Liberation War affairs ministry published names 10,789 Razakars who had collaborated with the Pakistani occupation forces during the 1971 Liberation War and committed crimes against humanity.

But the list drew huge criticism as the names of many freedom fighters had been included on it, prompting the ministry to withhold the list.

The names of International Crimes Tribunal counsel Ghulam Arif Tipu, advocate Mohsin Ali, advocate Abdus Salam, former deputy commissioner Abdur Rauf and police official SS Abu Talib were among the names of Razakars.

Mozammel said the Liberation War affairs ministry did not prepare the list of Razakars, claiming they just published the list as it was provided by the home ministry.

"We will publish the fresh list on March 26 following scrutiny," he had said at the time.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal had said that his ministry sent the list of those accused under the Collaborators Act, with a note asking to remove some 996 persons from the list. But the Liberation War affairs ministry did not correct the list before publishing it.

"Therefore, it is the Liberation War ministry's responsibility for this mistake," he said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had also expressed her dissatisfaction over the faulty list.