Bangladesh and United States held bilateral discussions on Tuesday focusing on mutual cooperation to preserve the histories of the 1971 Liberation War and the 2024 July-August Mass Uprising, alongside welfare and rehabilitation projects for martyrs' families and injured freedom fighters.

The deliberations took place during a formal meeting between Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen at the minister's office, according to an official press release issued by the ministry.

Senior ministry officials joined the minister in receiving the American envoy before holding extensive talks on strategies to archive and preserve historical documentation from both the 1971 Liberation War and the July Uprising.

During the session, ministry representatives outlined ongoing efforts to compile an accurate and reliable roster of 1971 martyrs and heroic freedom fighters.

The delegation explained that the National Freedom Fighter Council (JAMUKA) is currently integrating information technology and digital profiling to construct a neutral, tamper-proof database.

Furthermore, officials briefed Ambassador Christensen regarding state-sponsored welfare projects aimed at supporting those impacted by the July Uprising.

The newly established July Mass Uprising Directorate has successfully verified and cataloged records for 843 martyrs and 15,030 injured individuals.

Under the current assistance scheme, families of fallen martyrs receive BDT 30 lakh in National Savings Certificates alongside a monthly stipend of BDT 20,000.

For injured individuals, the government provides financial relief grants categorized into three tiers—BDT 5 lakh for Category A, BDT 3 lakh for Category B, and BDT 1 lakh for Category C—supplemented by recurring monthly allowances as per state guidelines.

The ministry further revealed that 154 critically injured citizens have been flown to medical facilities in Thailand, Turkey, and Russia for specialized treatment entirely at government expense.

A dedicated financial budget of BDT 448.11 crore has been allocated to sustain these rehabilitation programs for the 2026-27 fiscal year.

Expressing his appreciation, Ambassador Christensen commended the ministry's modernizing initiatives, particularly highlighting the deployment of digital technology for historical databases and the comprehensive rehabilitation frameworks established for victims of the July Uprising.

At the conclusion of the delegation meeting, Minister Ahmed Azam Khan presented Ambassador Christensen with commemorative gifts and publications, including President Zia: A Political Biography and Begum Khaleda Zia: The Life and Story.