61 more foreign friends awarded for '71 role

 

President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina along with foreign friends, who contributed their roles in 1971, pose for a group photo at BICC in the capital on Saturday. Photo: PMOStar Online Report

Sixty-one foreign friends of Bangladesh received awards on Saturday 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 presented the awards at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
The awards have been given in two categories--“Bangladesh Muktijuddho Sammanana” (Bangladesh Liberation War Honour) and "Muktijuddho Moitri Sammanana" (Friends of Liberation War Honour).
Two of the recipients received Bangladesh Muktijuddho Sammanana awards while the remaining 59 got Muktijuddho Moitri Sammanana.
Former Indian prime minister IK Gujral and former Nepalese prime minister late Girija Prashad Koirala have received Bangladesh Muktijuddho Sammanana. Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka received the award on Gujral's behalf, while Sujata Koirala, daughter of Girija Prashad, received the award on her father's behalf.
The awardees each has received a citation on silk cloth and a gold-plated silver plaque in which the replica of the national mausoleum has been engraved.
Of the recipients, 52 are from India and the rest are from Nepal, United States, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Australia, Sweden and Italy.
This is the third phase of awarding foreign friends and organisations after conferring of "Bangladesh Freedom Honour" posthumously on Indira Gandhi.