Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on today announced raising the retirement age of the Freedom Fighters (FFs) from government services to 60 years.

"Yesterday we have taken decision to raise the retirement age of the FFs to 60 years," she said while addressing a reception to the successors of Bir Shresthas and selected gallantry award recipient freedom fighters and their successors here Wednesday, reports BSS.

The reception was arranged at the Armed Forces Division at Dhaka Cantonment on the occasion of Armed Forces Day.

The prime minister said her government has taken initiatives so that the nation remember the sacrifice and contribution of the FFs forever as well as honour their descendents.

She called for their blessings and support to materialize the dreams of the FFs to build a happy and prosperous Bangladesh.

The prime minister presented honorarium and some gift to the family members of the Bir Shresthas and selected gallantry award recipient freedom fighters and their successors.

Sheikh Hasina approached herself to the seats of age-old mothers of Bir Shrestha Abdur Rouf and Bir Shrestha Mostafa Kamal to present the honorarium and gift to them.

State Minister for Liberation Affairs Captain (retd) AB Tajul Islam, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Defense Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Chief of Army Staff General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Zahir Uddin Ahmed and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Muhammad Enamul Bari were present.

Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General Abdul Wadud gave the welcome address.

PM's Principal Secretary Sheikh M Wahid Uz Zaman, PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad and high civil and military officials also attended the function.

Listing the steps taken by the Awami League government during her present and previous tenure for the welfare of the FFs, the prime minister said, from now on the FFs will get treatment free of cost in all government hospitals. "Construction of a specialised hospital for their treatment is going on," she said.

The prime minister said, projects were taken for construction of Muktijoddha Complex in every district and Muktijoddha Bhaban in every Upazilla at a cost of Taka 119 crore and Taka 806 crore respectively.

She said, quota for the FFs in the government services has been kept reserved for their children and grandchildren.

Paying her rich tributes to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and four national leaders, the prime minister said the nation would ever remember with gratitude the immense sacrifice of the FFs for liberating the country.

She said her government would do whatever necessary for the welfare of the families of the freedom fighters and preserve the glorious history.

"Freedom Fighters are the greatest sons of the soil," she said adding her government is working relentlessly to uphold their dignity.

Sheikh Hasina said, her previous government introduced state honour for the FFs after their death in 1996. Necessary steps were also taken to increase the grants for funeral of the war heroes, she said.

The prime minister said, apart from this, the amount of allowances for freedom fighters has been increased from Taka 1,500 to Taka 2,000 along with raising numbers of the beneficiaries.

Besides, monthly allowance for the families of Bir Shreshtha has been raised to Taka 14,400 from Taka 11,250 while allowance for families of other martyrs has been increased from Taka 5,850 taka to Taka 7,020, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said database on FFs is also being prepared by the Ministry of War of Liberation.

She said her government has taken steps to preserve historical places including Race Course Ground where Father of the Nation delivered his historical speech on March 7, 1971 and Pakistani occupation forces surrendered their arms on December 16, 1971.

Construction works of Shikha Chirantan, an open stage (Unmukta Mancha) with 2000 seats, underground museum, and 156-seat audio-video room are progressing at Suhrawardy Uddyan, she said.

Mentioning the initiatives taken for conferring 'Swadhinata Sanmanana', 'Bangladesh Muktijuddha Sanmanana' and Muktijoddha Moitree Sanmanana' to foreign friends of Bangladesh, she said the process will continue.

A total of 60 gallantry award wining freedom fighters and their successors were presented honorarium and gifts on the occasion.

Ends/AMA/21/11/12