Chhatra Union terms scraping freedom fighters’ interviews as erase of history

The Bangladesh Chhatra Union (Bangladesh Students' Union) has strongly condemned the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs’ decision to cancel video interviews of nearly 15,000 freedom fighters, calling it a deliberate attempt to erase the nation’s Liberation War history.

In a joint statement, Mahir Shahriar Reza, president of the organisation's central council, and general secretary Bahauddin Shuvo alleged that the interim government has systematically attacked the country’s national heritage and Liberation War history since taking office, often providing covert support for such actions.

The leaders said the ministry justified the cancellation on grounds that the interviews “did not accurately reflect history,” but termed it a pre-planned conspiracy to distort and erase the Liberation War narrative.

They added that several other projects preserving Liberation War memories have already been scrapped under the pretext of combating “fascist conspiracies,” highlighting the government’s contradictory stance on the nation’s historical legacy.

The organisation urged the government to reverse the decision immediately and take effective measures to safeguard the country’s Liberation War history. They also warned that any attempt to erase history would be actively resisted, and called for public fundraising if the government fails to allocate the necessary funds for the project.

The cancelled project, titled “Birer Konthe Birgatha” (Heroes’ Voices, Heroes’ Stories), was launched in 2022 to document interviews of 80,000 freedom fighters through videos, YouTube content, and 16 documentaries, with a proposed budget of Tk 49.57 crore.