Inheritance Battles Halt Aid for July Uprising Victims: Officials

Disputes Over Benefits Hinder Government Assistance for Martyrs' Families

Disputes among family members of the July Uprising martyrs over the distribution of benefits are causing delays in the government's assistance programme, according to officials. The disagreements between the wives and parents of the martyrs have created administrative challenges, making it difficult for authorities to distribute both one-time financial aid and monthly allowances.

Faruk-e-Azam, Adviser to the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, highlighted that the main issue is determining who gets what. "Some complain the wife is getting more, others say the parents are. The martyr's parents argue that a wife may remarry, but they've lost their child forever. Meanwhile, the widows claim they too lost everything with the death of their husbands," he explained.

These conflicts have escalated to the point where separate WhatsApp and Facebook groups have formed—some supporting the parents and others backing the widows. These groups often gather at the ministry to lodge complaints against each other, adding to the administrative burden.

The ministry uses the Muslim Family Law Ordinance, 1961, for Muslim families and the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, for Hindu families to determine the rightful recipients of the aid. However, many family members are not satisfied with the legal framework being applied. Faruk-e-Azam stated, "Even when we calculate based on religious laws, many are not satisfied. So we're having to go case by case which is wasting both time and manpower."

The government provides each martyr’s family with a total of Tk 30 lakh in savings certificates—Tk 10 lakh was disbursed last fiscal year, and Tk 20 lakh is scheduled for this fiscal year (2025-26). Additionally, each family is entitled to a monthly allowance of Tk 20,000.

So far, the government has officially recognized 844 martyrs. Among them, 774 families have received the first Tk 10 lakh installment. The remaining 70 families are yet to receive the initial installment due to unresolved inheritance issues, which have also stalled the second phase of disbursement.

Md Mashiur Rahman, Director General of the July Uprising Directorate, said, "We are distributing funds according to established rules but these internal disputes force us into daily negotiations." He noted that just last Thursday, 59 widows came to the ministry together to press their claims while parents of martyrs had previously done the same.

Each martyr has multiple heirs, and determining who gets what share is time-consuming, slowing down the entire process. The ministry is working to resolve these conflicts while ensuring that the spirit of the martyrs’ sacrifice is honored.

Assistance for Injured Victims of the July Uprising

In addition to the support provided to the families of martyrs, the government has also initiated assistance programmes for the injured victims of the July Uprising. The official classification of injury categories includes:

• Category A (Critically injured): 493 individuals will receive a one-time grant of Tk 5 lakh and a monthly allowance of Tk 20,000. Of this, Tk 2 lakh has already been disbursed, with the remaining Tk 3 lakh to be provided this fiscal year.

• Category B (Seriously injured): 908 individuals will get a one-time grant of Tk 3 lakh and Tk 15,000 monthly. Tk 1 lakh has been paid in advance.

• Category C (Moderately injured): 10,642 individuals will receive Tk 1 lakh one-time and Tk 10,000 monthly.

All injured individuals, regardless of category, are entitled to lifetime free medical care, opportunities for treatment abroad, and guaranteed rehabilitation support. Eligible members of the martyrs' families will also be given priority for employment in government or semi-government sectors.

Israt Chowdhury, Secretary of the Liberation War Affairs, stated, "Once we complete the aid disbursement, we will move on to the rehabilitation phase. Our goal is to directly transfer funds to beneficiaries' accounts through Sonali Bank."

She added, "We are hoping to begin disbursing monthly allowances in at least one division by next week. The quicker families provide the necessary information, the faster we can proceed."

Regarding the reclassification of injury categories, the secretary said, "If someone wishes to move from Category C to Category A, that assessment will be made by the Ministry of Health." This ensures that those with more severe injuries receive appropriate support and resources.