'It was a collective mistake', minister says on award to Amir Hamza
Those who provided false information in this regard are responsible as well, said the minister
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque said it was a collective mistake of the committee to nominate Amir Hamza for the Independence Award.
"As human beings we are not above mistakes. But we should have been more careful," he told reporter during a press briefing at the Ministry of Liberation War in the capital on Wednesday.
The minister said there were mistakes in the committee's decision to nominate and later dropping Amir Hamza's name for the Independence Award.
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However, he added, those who provided false information in this regard are responsible as well.
Responding to a query, the minister said, "Those who confused us will be punished."
The committee will decide on the matter after a meeting in this regard.
Earlier, on 18 March, the government dropped the name of Amir Hamza from the list of Independence Award winners after a controversy over his past.
The Cabinet Division issued a revised list of nine individuals and one organisation for the award.
Amir Hamza, who was awarded the Swadhinata Padak 2022 in literature posthumously, was sentenced to life imprisonment on charge of killing a farmer and a minor girl in 1978.
"Swadhinata Padak 2022" (Independence Award), the highest civilian award in Bangladesh, was announced recently.
The announcement of Amir Hamza's name for his contribution to literature has been criticised on social media.
