BANGLADESH

After 40 years of Liberation War, Bangladesh is set to honour its foreign friends on Mar 27 for their contribution to the freedom struggle in 1971.

The cabinet has approved a list of 132 but the government finally invited 110 friends, out of which 75 have consented to either come themselves or send their representatives to receive the honour.

This was disclosed by foreign minister Dipu Moni and state minister for liberation war affairs M Tajul Islam at a press briefing at the foreign ministry on Saturday.

The invitees will receive gold-plated silver metallic plaques bearing replica of the national mausoleum and a citation on silk cloth.

"We had formed a national committee to identify the foreign personalities contributing to our Liberation War," Dipu Moni said.

"We had prepared a list of 560 people, and finally we short-listed 132 names," she said.

In the first phase, daughter-in-law of former Indian prime minister Sonia Gandhi received the Bangladesh Freedom Honour awarded to Indira Gandhi in July last year.

President Zillur Rahman and prime minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over the award to the recipients at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.

"The committee has worked for the last two years and it is an ongoing process."

TRIPURA CHIEF MINISTER

When asked why Tripura chief minister is being honoured, the foreign minister said Manik Sarkar was a youth leader in 1971 and he contributed to the Liberation War.

Tajul Islam, also a freedom fighter, said he is the witness of the Manik's contribution to the Liberation War.

"He was junior to me by two to five years but when I went to Tripura, I saw him personally going door-to-door to seek help for freedom fighters," he said.

"Besides, it is we to decide whom we will give honour not the people of other country," he said referring to the ongoing agitation in Tripura as to why Manik Sarkar is being awarded in Bangladesh.

INVITEES

The foreign minister explained that out of the 132 in the list, they could manage to invite only 110 of them.

"Forty years have passed and many of them have changed their addresses and we found it difficult to locate them," she said.

PAKISTANIS IN THE LIST

When asked why there is no Pakistani in the list, the foreign minister said it is an 'ongoing process'.

"We acknowledge that there is a small group of Pakistanis which did raise voice for Bangladesh, and I am sure that after scrutiny they will be honoured," she said.

The liberation war affairs minister said the government has taken necessary steps to provide security to the invitees.