Dhaka: The High Court on Thursday declared illegal the government order that had cancelled the recognition of 2,367 members of 1971 ‘guerrilla force’ as freedom fighters.

An HC bench of Justice Gobinda Chandra Thakur and Justice Abu Taher Mohammad Saifur Rahman passed the order after the final disposal of a rule hearing.

Tobarok Hossain, counsel for the writ petitioner, said the HC recognised 2,367 members of the guerrilla force, formed with the leaders and activists of National Awami Party (NAP), Communist Party and Chhatra Union, after Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the country’s independence on 26 March 1971, as freedom fighters.

The court also ordered the authorities concerned to provide them with all the facilities of the freedom fighters.

On 24 July 2013, the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs published a gazette notification on the list of 2,367 guerrilla fighters, including Comrade Moni Singh and NAP President Prof Mozaffar Ahmed, as freedom fighters.

The government on 29 October 2014 cancelled the gazette notification.

NAP president Pankaj Bhattacharya filed the writ petition challenging legality of the cancellation in 2014.

On 29 January 2015, the HC issued a rule asking the government to explain why the cancellation would not be declared illegal and unlawful.

The court also stayed the government action that cancelled the recognition of 2,367 members of a guerrilla force as freedom fighters.

Later on 6 September, the court disposed of the final hearing of the writ and fixed on Thursday for final judgment.