Verdict regarding minimum age of Freedom Fighters was motivated: Attorney General

The Appellate Division has set March 12 for the hearing of the appeal against the verdict related to the minimum age of freedom fighters. On Tuesday, a four-member Appellate Division bench, led by Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaet Ahmed, set the date for the hearing.

In the hearing, Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman stated that the High Court’s verdict, which determined the minimum age of freedom fighters in 1971, was politically motivated. He said, "The verdict questions the declaration of the Liberation War. The ruling glorifies Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, while the reality is different."

In the case, the state filed an appeal against the High Court’s verdict, which declared the January 2018 amended circular issued by the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, setting the minimum age for freedom fighters at 12 years and 6 months as illegal. The High Court ruling declared the gazette and the law under which the minimum age was set as illegal. The ruling stated, "The age of freedom fighters cannot be restricted by a specific frame."

Previously, the government issued three gazettes between 2015 and 2018 setting a minimum age for freedom fighters. The first two gazettes set the age at 13 years, and the most recent gazette set the age at 12 years and 6 months. Later, 15 writ petitions were filed challenging the legality of these gazettes. After a final hearing on the rule issued following those writ petitions, the High Court bench, led by Justices Sheikh Hasan Arif and Rajik Al Jalil, announced the verdict on May 19.