Staff Correspondent

United States Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen paid a courtesy call on Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ahmed Azam Khan at his office on Monday.

Held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere, the meeting focused on preserving the history of the 1971 Liberation War and the historic July-August 2024 mass uprising, as well as ensuring the welfare, medical treatment, and social rehabilitation of the families of martyrs and injured freedom fighters.

The minister and senior officials warmly received the US envoy upon his arrival. Highlighting the ministry's core mandate, the secretary noted that preserving the historical legacy, memories, and ideals of both the 1971 Liberation War and the 2024 July Uprising remains a top national priority.

During the discussion, progress on compiling an accurate database of genuine martyrs and freedom fighters of 1971 was reviewed. Ministry officials informed the ambassador that despite five decades having passed since independence, an universally accepted database had previously been lacking due to inadequate statistical methods.

Currently, under the supervision of the National Freedom Fighters Council (JAMUKA), work is underway to finalize a neutral and verified list using modern information technology and digital profiling processes.

The meeting also highlighted the government’s major initiatives for the welfare of those impacted by the July 2024 uprising. Under the newly formed "July Mass Uprising Directorate," a detailed database of 843 martyrs and 15,030 injured fighters has been prepared. Martyr families are being provided with Tk 30 lakh in national savings certificates alongside a monthly allowance of Tk 20,000.
Furthermore, lump-sum financial assistance of Tk 5 lakh, Tk 3 lakh, and Tk 1 lakh has been secured for injured individuals under Categories 'A', 'B', and 'C' respectively, along with monthly allowances. As part of specialized medical treatment, 154 critically injured individuals have already been sent to Thailand, Turkey, and Russia at government expense. An allocation of Tk 448.11 crore has been designated for these welfare programs in the 2026–2027 fiscal year budget.

Ambassador Christensen commended the ministry's multifaceted initiatives, particularly praising the use of ICT for digital profiling of freedom fighters and the ongoing rehabilitation efforts for victims of the July Revolution. Drawing parallels to historical preservation practices in the United States—such as the National Archives and the Smithsonian Institution—he noted that preserving history is a continuous process.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Minister Ahmed Azam Khan presented the US ambassador with commemorative gifts and books on Bangladesh's political history, including "President Zia: Political Biography" and "Begum Khaleda Zia: The Life and Story".

Liberation War Affairs Ministry Secretary Md. Ashraful Islam, Additional Secretary (Planning & Development) Ziauddin Ahmed NDC, and Joint Secretary Md. Jehad Uddin were present on behalf of the ministry.

The US Embassy delegation included note-taker Josh Pope, Press and Media Officer Ricky Salmina, and Protocol Assistant Saad Bin Elahi.