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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox organization
|name = Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust
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|formation = September 1972
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|headquarters = [[Dhaka]], [[Bangladesh]]
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|region_served = Bangladesh
|members =
|language = Bengali
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|website = [http://www.bffwt.gov.bd/ Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust]
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}}

'''Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust''' or '''Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust''',<ref>{{cite news |title=[WATCH] Gobinda Haldar: 1971 war lyricist|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/video-stories/watch-now-gobinda-haldar-the-1971-war-lyrist-who-was-kept-shadow-185776|work=The Daily Star|access-date=8 October 2016|date=11 December 2022}}</ref> is government owned and operated trust in [[Bangladesh]] established to look after the interest of former [[Mukti Bahini]] members and others who fought for Bangladesh in the [[Bangladesh Liberation war]] and their family members. It is under the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=UNB |first=Dhaka |date=2021-02-15 |title=Freedom fighters’ allowance to be raised to Tk 20,000: PM |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/bangladesh/news/freedom-fighters-allowance-be-raised-tk-20000-pm-2045161 |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
It was established in September 1972. It owns a number of companies which generate include Tabani Beverage Company, Eastern Cables Industries Limited, Multiple Juice Concentrate Plant, [[Mimi Chocolate|Mimi Chocolate Limited]], and Model Engineering Works. It owns four movie theatres: Gulistan, Naz, Moon, and Delwar Pictures. It also owns Gulistan Films Corporation and Durbar Advertising and Publications, Purnima Filling and Services Station. It also receives an annual 160 million taka from the government.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust|url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Bangladesh_Freedom_Fighters_Welfare_Trust |website=Banglapedia |access-date=8 October 2022}}</ref>

According to the act which established the trust a freedom fighter is "person who served as a member of any force engaged in the war of liberation but shall not include the serving members of the defence services, police or the civil armed forces, or any government pensioner, or any other person having any regular source of income".<ref>{{cite news |title=Around 70,000 under scrutiny|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/around-70-000-under-scrutiny-37563|work=The Daily Star|access-date=8 October 2016|date=18 August 2022}}</ref> The Government of Bangladesh in the 1970s handed over the management of tanneries to the trust and [[Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Basher |first=Abul |date=13 October 2013 |title=Building the future of the leather sector |url=https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/public/views-opinion/building-the-future-of-the-leather-sector |work=The Financial Express |location=Dhaka |type=Opinion |access-date=8 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Hazardous Hazaribagh|url=http://archive.dhakatribune.com/environment/2013/jun/05/hazardous-hazaribagh|work=Dhaka Tribune|access-date=8 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229191657/http://archive.dhakatribune.com/environment/2013/jun/05/hazardous-hazaribagh|archive-date=29 December 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1978, the government gave the trust a further 11 nationalised companies.<ref name=":0" /> The nationalisation of Moon Cinema Hall led to the ''[[Bangladesh Italian Marble Works Ltd. v. Government of Bangladesh]],'' a ground breaking case which led to the [[Fifth Amendment to the Constitution of Bangladesh]] being declared illegal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Govt pays Moon Cinema Hall owner Tk 1 billion in cheque |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/govt-hands-over-cheque-of-tk-1-billion-to-moon-cinema-halls-owner |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=bdnews24.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 1983, the government of President [[Hussain Mohammad Ershad]] withdrew the trust from Bengal National Tannery, Bengal Tannery, Hamidia Metal Industries Limited, Hamidia Oil Mils, Jatrik Publications, Madina Ternary, and Omar Sons Structures Limited.<ref name=":0" />

Between 1988 and 1989 it made a list of freedom fighters in Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sector commanders for list of collaborators|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-15668|work=The Daily Star|access-date=8 October 2016|date=16 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hossain |first=Kazi Mobarak |title=Wait lingers for final freedom fighter list after ‘work is done’ |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/wait-lingers-for-final-freedom-fighter-list-after-work-is-done |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=bdnews24.com |language=en}}</ref>

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party government from 1994 to 1995 closed down a number of companies of the trust; they are Hardeo Glass and Aluminum, Model Electric and Engineering Corporation, and United Tobacco Company.<ref name=":0" />

In 1999, the Awami League government Gulistan cinema hall and Naz cinema hall into shopping malls in a process marked by allegations of corruption.<ref name=":0" /> Shops in Rajdhani Super Market were rented out at very low prices by corrupt officials.<ref name=":0" /> Gulistan Shopping Complex was never finished.<ref name=":0" />

Tabani Beverage Company is a bottler of Coca-Cola in Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cabinet lets major foreign investment deal slip|url=http://archive.dhakatribune.com/economy/2013/dec/02/cabinet-lets-major-foreign-investment-deal-slip|work=Dhaka Tribune|access-date=8 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009192402/http://archive.dhakatribune.com/economy/2013/dec/02/cabinet-lets-major-foreign-investment-deal-slip|archive-date=9 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Coca-Cola stopped its agreement with Tabani over quality issues.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Byron |first=Rejaul Karim |last2=Parvez |first2=Sohel |date=2013-12-03 |title=Coca-Cola offers Tabani $16m to end bottling deal |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/coca-cola-offers-tabani-16m-to-end-bottling-deal |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> The Awami League government closed Circo Soap and Chemical Industries in 2009.<ref name=":0" />

In 2018, the trust closed down all of the industries it owned as corruption had made them unsustainable.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |url=http://www.newagebd.net/article/56912/all-industries-closed-for-corruption|title=All industries closed for corruption |work=New Age |access-date=2019-08-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-27 |title=Proof that govt can’t run real business |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/proof-govt-cant-run-real-business-484522 |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref>

== Industries ==

* [[Mimi Chocolate|Mimi Chocolate Limited]]<ref name=":0" />
* Tabani Bevarage Company Limited (bottled Coca-Cola)<ref name=":0" />
* Bangladesh Glass Industries Limited<ref name=":0" />
* Bengal National Tannery<ref name=":0" />
* Baxley Paints<ref name=":0" />
* Circo Soap and Chemical Industries<ref name=":0" />
* Eastern Chemical Industries<ref name=":0" />
* [[Eastern Cables Limited|Eastern Cables Industries Limited]]<ref name=":0" />
* Hamidia Metal Industries<ref name=":0" />
* Horodeo Glass and Aluminum<ref name=":0" />
* Model Electric and Engineering Works<ref name=":0" />
* Multiple Juice Concentrate Plant<ref name=":0" />
* National Tannery<ref name=":0" />
* United Tobacco Company Limited<ref name=":0" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:1972 establishments in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Government agencies of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Dhaka]]
[[Category:Aftermath of the Bangladesh Liberation War]]

Bangladesh Freedom Fighter Welfare Trust - Revision history

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