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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said the government has initiated steps to prepare a comprehensive and impartial list of the martyrs of Bangladesh’s Liberation War, fulfilling a key pledge made in its election manifesto.
Responding to a question from BNP lawmaker Ruhul Amin during the Prime Minister’s Question-Answer session in the Jatiya Sangsad, Tarique said those who were responsible for compiling such a list after independence had failed to do so and had instead politicised the process.
The session was chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaysar Kamal.
“The current government is committed to preparing a complete list of the martyrs of the Liberation War based on extensive research,” the Prime Minister said.
He said the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has already undertaken a number of initiatives, including consultations with researchers and experts, discussions with relevant stakeholders, and the preparation of a detailed and practical roadmap for the task.
According to the Prime Minister, the initiative aims to produce an accurate and widely accepted list of those who were martyred during the Liberation War and the genocide, ensuring proper recognition of their sacrifices.
Replying to a supplementary question from Kurigram-1 MP Anwarul Islam, Tarique Rahman said the government is equally committed to identifying genuine freedom fighters.
He said the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), founded by Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, has a moral responsibility towards the Liberation War and its freedom fighters.
“Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman was a freedom fighter who fought on the battlefield and declared the country’s independence. Naturally, the BNP believes it has a sacred responsibility to uphold the values of the Liberation War,” he said.
Responding to a supplementary question from BNP MP ABM Mosharraf Hossain, the Prime Minister announced that the government will introduce the Prime Minister Gold Cup football tournament for primary school students from next year. The programme will later be expanded to the secondary level.
He said nearly 2.2 million boys and girls participated in a recent football tournament organised for primary school students.
The Prime Minister also stressed the need to protect playgrounds and open spaces for children.
Recalling a visit to a school exhibition earlier in the day, he said students informed him that although their school has about 1,300 pupils, it has no playground.
He said preparations are underway to evict illegal occupants from parks, playgrounds and other open spaces under the Dhaka North and South City Corporations, adding that the eviction drive will continue in the future.
Tarique Rahman also said local administrations across the country have been instructed to identify open spaces suitable for children’s sports and recreational activities and report them to the government.
Replying to a question from BNP lawmaker Sarwar Jamal Nizam, the Prime Minister said Chattogram Port handled 45.3 million metric tonnes of cargo and 1.34 million TEUs of containers in 2010, while the figures rose to 138.1 million metric tonnes of cargo and 3.41 million TEUs of containers in 2025.
In response to a supplementary question, he said the government is moving ahead with the implementation of the Bay Terminal project, which will allow mother vessels to berth directly at the port.
The project, he said, will reduce transshipment costs, speed up import and export activities, and make a significant contribution to the national economy.
Responding to a question from Jamaat-e-Islami MP Kamal Hossain, the Prime Minister said anyone found involved in corruption at Chattogram Port would face legal action.
He added that the government is working to gradually establish a transparent, efficient and corruption-free port management system.