Bangladesh Freedom Honour
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The Bangladesh Freedom Honour (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ স্বাধীনতা সম্মাননা Bānglādēśa sbādhīnatā sam'mānanā) is the highest state award given by the government of Bangladesh for foreigners or non-nationals. The award was posthumously conferred on former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi on 25 July 2011.[1] The award recognises her role as an ally during the Bangladesh War of Liberation and her capacity to manage such a complex regional war.[2] A Bangladeshi national committee had nominated her for the special honour for her "unique" role in "offering training to freedom fighters and refuge to millions of people who fled the country and building world opinion for Bangladesh's independence".[3] Indian National Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi, the daughter -in-law of Indira Gandhi, received the award from Bangladeshi President Zillur Rahman at a grand ceremony in Dhaka attended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and nearly 1,000 top dignitaries.[4]
Bangladesh Freedom Honour | |
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Awarded for | recognition of substantial contribution in Bangladesh’s war of independence |
Country | Bangladesh |
Presented by | Government of Bangladesh |
First awarded | 25 July 2011 |
The award included a crest weighing three kilograms is designed on 400-year-old terracotta of a 'Kadam tree' made of gold and a citation which read:[1]
"Ms. Indira Gandhi stood by the side of the people of Bangladesh from the beginning of the Liberation War despite various adversities. She provided shelter to about one crore Bangladeshi refugees. She provided courage in the Liberation War by facing different diplomatic hurdles. She played a great role in freeing Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from Pakistani jail. Her contribution to Bangladesh's Liberation War will be remembered forever."