Dhaka, June 3 -- The songs broadcast by Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra during the Liberation War of 1971 inspired freedom fighters on the warfront as well as people yearning for independence across the country. One of the prominent ones is "Mora Ekti Phul ke Bachabo Bole Juddho Kori", translated roughly as "We fight to save a single flower".

The man behind the lyrics and melody of that timeless masterpiece is Apel Mahmud. Nevertheless, on Monday, he appeared before the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council to prove his identity as a freedom fighter.

After the hearing, Apel, a recipient of the Ekushey Padak, said: "I, Apel Mahmud, have had to prove for a second time that I'm a freedom fighter, while I'm still alive. The members of Jatiya Muktijoddha C...