War of Liberation
61 foreign friends get awards today
Foreign friends of Bangladesh who supported the country's emergence during the 1971 Liberation War place wreaths at National Memorial in Savar yesterday to pay respect to the 1971 martyrs.Photo: STAR
Bangladesh will present awards to 61 of its foreign friends today for their outstanding contributions to the country's Liberation War 41 years ago. The foreign friends' support came when Bangalees stood up against the atrocities of Pakistani army and contributed to the eventful emergence of sovereign Bangladesh through a nine-month war in 1971. President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will present the awards at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at 10:00am. The awards will be given in two categories--“Bangladesh Muktijuddho Sammanana” (Bangladesh Liberation War Honour) and "Muktijuddho Moitri Sammanana" (Friends of Liberation War Honour). Former Indian prime minister IK Gujral and former Nepalese prime minister late Girija Prashad Koirala will receive Bangladesh Muktijuddho Sammanana. Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka will receive the award on Gujral's behalf, while Sujata Koirala, daughter of Girija Prashad, will receive the award on her father's behalf. The awardees each will receive a citation on silk cloth and a gold-plated silver plaque in which the replica of the national mausoleum has been engraved. Two of the recipients will receive Bangladesh Muktijuddho Sammanana awards while the remaining 59 will get Muktijuddho Moitri Sammanana, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said at a press conference yesterday. Of the recipients, 52 are from India and the rest are from Nepal, United States, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Australia, Sweden and Italy. This will be the third phase of awarding foreign friends and organisations after conferring of "Bangladesh Freedom Honour" posthumously on Indira Gandhi.
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