Enamul Kabir Tuku has been expelled from membership of the Narail Press Club after his freedom fighter certificate was cancelled following an official verification process.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Narail Press Club held around 4:30pm on Saturday in response to complaints raised by members.
According to press club sources, Tuku had been enlisted in the freedom fighter gazette through fraudulent means using forged documents. Following an investigation, the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council revoked his certificate, prompting the disciplinary action.
Confirming the expulsion, SM Abdul Haq, president of the Narail Press Club, said Tuku was removed under Article 9, Section 1(a) of the club’s constitution. He said the action was taken on charges including moral turpitude, activities contrary to the organisation’s constitution, waste or misappropriation of funds, and conduct detrimental to professional dignity.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs issued a notification cancelling Tuku’s freedom fighter gazette status under Gazette No. 264. The notification, issued on 26 October by order of the President, was signed by Haridas Thakur, deputy secretary to the ministry.
Tuku, son of Abu Bakkar Siddique of Mahishkhola village under Panchagram Union in Kalia upazila of Narail, currently resides in the Kurigram area of Narail town.
Welcoming the government’s decision, freedom fighter Tabibar Rahman said locals had been campaigning for years to secure the cancellation of gazettes granted to fake freedom fighters in Narail.
He said the government had so far cancelled the gazettes of four fake freedom fighters in the district, including Tuku, and added that the movement would continue until all remaining fake gazettes were revoked.
Newaz Mahmud Viku, a US expatriate from Narail, also expressed satisfaction with the development, saying he had campaigned against Tuku for the past five years and would continue efforts until all fake freedom fighters were identified.
According to several unnamed members of civil society, Tuku allegedly used his background in journalism and forged documents to present himself as a freedom fighter. They claimed he subsequently leveraged both identities, while portraying himself as a former president and secretary of the Narail Press Club, to intimidate officials at various government offices and collect monthly extortion payments.
They further alleged that despite having limited formal education, Tuku regularly attended meetings chaired by the district commissioner and threatened BCS officers.
Local journalist Minhazul Islam recalled an incident in which Tuku allegedly misbehaved with him over a minor error on an event invitation card. He said the long-standing demand for the cancellation of the gazette of what he described as a fake freedom fighter had finally been fulfilled.
When asked about the cancellation of his gazette status, Tuku acknowledged the decision and said: “I will go to court on this matter.”
Narail Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Salam said an investigation report had been submitted to the relevant authorities following complaints over Tuku’s status, after which the ministry issued the notification cancelling his gazette.
