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Bangladesh Faces Scandal: 90,000 Fake Freedom Fighters Costing Government Over Tk 2,400 Crore Annually
A government investigation in Bangladesh reveals nearly 90,000 fake freedom fighters are fraudulently receiving state allowances, costing the country over Tk 2,400 crore every year.
Massive Fake Freedom Fighter Scandal Uncovered in Bangladesh
A staggering 90,000 individuals have been identified as fake freedom fighters (muktijoddhas) in Bangladesh, raising serious concerns over national spending and the integrity of the state’s honor system. These individuals are reportedly receiving government allowances and festival bonuses amounting to approximately Tk 2,400 crore annually.
Back in 1994, the official number of recognized freedom fighters stood at 86,000. However, despite the natural decline expected due to aging and mortality, the list has ballooned to 208,050 by 2024—an addition of 122,000 new names over 30 years.
An internal investigation by the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs found around 90,000 of these entries to be fraudulent. The accused have allegedly used forged documents or manipulated eligibility criteria to obtain the government-issued status and benefits associated with it.
The average annual payout per verified freedom fighter includes:
- Tk 20,000 per month in regular allowance
- Tk 10,000 each during Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha
- Tk 5,000 on Independence Day (March 26)
- Tk 2,000 on Bengali New Year
This totals to at least Tk 2.67 lakh per person annually. When multiplied across 90,000 fake recipients, the cost becomes a massive burden on taxpayers—exceeding Tk 2,400 crore every year.
Additional Findings:
- 2,719 individuals are currently facing legal proceedings due to age fraud, forged gazettes, or certificate inconsistencies.
- 2,111 individuals had their freedom fighter certificates canceled after it was discovered they hadn’t met the minimum age requirement (12 years and 6 months during the war).
- Over the past 15 years, the current government has canceled 3,926 fake entries from the official gazette.
The misuse of the prestigious freedom fighter status not only drains public funds but also undermines the sacrifices of genuine veterans of the 1971 Liberation War. Calls are growing for stricter verification processes and criminal prosecution of those involved in the fraud.
