Cumilla Correspondent

A valiant freedom fighter has been laid to rest in Cumilla’s Brahmanpara Upazila without the state-mandated guard of honour.

The family alleges that they were compelled to proceed with the burial without the recognition as no one came to them from the Upazila administration.

Local freedom fighters and the family of the deceased have expressed their indignation over the incident.

Brahmanpara Police chief Md Faruk Hossain said police were deployed at the site with the necessary equipment, but the ceremony could not proceed as no Upazila administration official was present.

Family members and locals said the freedom fighter, 78-year-old Abdus Sattar, passed away in Dhaka on Thursday.

Throughout his long career, Sattar served in different significant government departments, including the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Law. He had spent his final years living with his son in Dhaka.

Following an initial funeral prayer in Dhaka, his body was brought to his home village, arriving at 5:30pm.

Abdus Sattar Molla, a valiant freedom fighter from the same area, said: “This is deeply painful. Even if a guard of honour could not be provided after sunset, representatives from the administration could have at least come to pay their final respects.

“As a freedom fighter myself, such a lack of respect shown toward a comrade-in-arms is simply intolerable.”

Upazila administrative officer Munni Islam said, “A guard of honour is not provided after sunset. We had made preparations, but there was uncertainty regarding the arrival of the body from Dhaka.

“No one reached out to me after Maghrib, which is why it could not be carried out.”