‘Manik Pashari was a fake freedom fighter’

PIROJPUR: Two freedom fighters from Pirojpur have claimed that Manik Pashari, the complainant in the case against Maulana Delawar Hossain Sayedee, was not a genuine freedom fighter. They alleged that the Awami League government had granted him recognition as a freedom fighter because he testified against Sayedee.

Controversy erupted over the guard of honour and burial accorded to Manik after his death on October 24. The two freedom fighters have spoken out after Jamaat-e-Islami also claimed that he was a fake freedom fighter.

Abdus Salam Baten, a freedom fighter from Pirojpur, alleged that the then Awami League government had granted Manik recognition as a freedom fighter as a reward for giving false testimony against Maulana Delawar Hossain Sayedee.

“Sayedee Sahib was never a razakar. People did not know him in 1971. He was not even in Pirojpur. Sayedee Sahib was a good preacher and an internationally renowned Islamic speaker,” Baten said.

He added that the police administration had been obliged to provide Manik with a guard of honour because he was officially listed as a freedom fighter in the government gazette. Sayedee’s followers had objected to the ceremony, he said. “We also know that he was a fake freedom fighter,” Baten added.

Another freedom fighter, Mirza Zahirul Haque, said a case had been filed against Delawar Hossain Sayedee during the Awami League government. He alleged that Manik had given false testimony against Sayedee, whether under pressure or otherwise, and was subsequently recognised as a freedom fighter. According to him, no further verification was conducted.

Haque said Manik remained officially listed as a freedom fighter and was therefore entitled to a guard of honour under government rules following his death. However, he alleged that Jamaat activists had obstructed the ceremony.

Manik Pashari, 87, died on the morning of October 24 at his son-in-law’s house in Tungipara, Gopalganj. His body was brought to the Pirojpur Sadar Upazila Parishad premises around noon.

Amid complications over the guard of honour and burial, he was accorded a state guard of honour at the police lines in the afternoon. His body was taken to his home around 1am, and the burial was completed at approximately 1:20am.