Awards and decorations of the Bangladesh Liberation War

Awards and decorations of the Bangladesh Liberation War were decorations which were bestowed by the major warring parties during the years of the Bangladesh Liberation War. Bangladesh, India and Pakistan all issued awards and decorations during the conflict.

A listing of the most commonly bestowed Bangladesh Liberation War era decorations is as follows:

Bangladesh

Gallantry awards

A total of 677 participants of the Liberation War received gallantry awards for their contribution. Four categories of gallantry awards were created after the war in Bangladesh. These were:

• Bir Sreshtho

The Bir Sreshtho (Bengali: বীরশ্রেষ্ঠ) (The Most Valiant Hero), is the highest military award of Bangladesh. It was awarded to seven freedom fighters who showed utmost bravery and died in action for their nation. They are considered martyrs.^[1]

Recipients All the recipients of this award were killed in action during the Liberation War of 1971. The award was published by the Bangladesh Gazette on 15 December 1973. It is the highest military award of Bangladesh, similar to the American Medal of Honor or the British Victoria Cross. It has only been given in 1973 to seven people. Listed below are the people who have received the Bir Srestho. They are all considered 'Shaheed' (Martyrs).

1. Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir  † (Army)
2. Sepoy Hamidur Rahman  † (Army)
3. Sepoy Mostafa Kamal † (Army)
4. Engineroom Artificer Ruhul Amin  † (Navy)
5. Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman  † (Air Force)
6. Lance Naik Munshi Abdur Rouf  † (Bangladesh Rifles)
7. Lance Naik Nur Mohammad Sheikh † (Bangladesh Rifles)

• Bir Uttom (Bengali: বীর উত্তম Great Valiant Hero)

Recipients

• Bir Bikrom (Bengali: বীর বিক্রম Valiant hero)

A total of 175 fighters have been awarded on 15 December 1973 for their heroic actions at the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. The government of Bangladesh declared the name of the awardees in Bangladesh Gazette on 15 December 1973.

• Bir Protik (Bengali: বীর প্রতীক Idol of Courage)

This award was declared on 15 December 1973. A total of 426 people have received the award so far, all for their actions during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971.

Liberation War medals

	Samor Padak (War Medal)
	Joy Padak (Victory Medal)
	Rono Taroka (Campaign Star)
	Mukti Taroka (Liberation Star)

Civilian awards

• Independence Day Award

Independence Day Medallion

The Independence Day Award (Bengali: স্বাধীনতা পদক),^[2] also termed Independence Award (Bengali: স্বাধীনতা পুরস্কার), Swadhinata Padak, and Swadhinata Puroskar, is the highest state award given by the government of Bangladesh. Introduced in 1977, this award is bestowed upon Bangladeshi citizens or organizations in recognition of substantial contribution to one of many fields, including the War of Liberation, the language movement, education, literature, journalism, public service, science and technology, medical science, social science, song, games and sports, fine arts, rural development, and other areas.

• Bangladesh Freedom Honour -(Bengali: বাংলাদেশ স্বাধীনতা সম্মাননা Bānglādēśa sbādhīnatā sam'mānanā); posthumously conferred on former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.^[3]

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj (far right) hand over the Liberation War award to Vajpayee's family members.

• Bangladesh Liberation War Honour -(Bengali: বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ সম্মাননা Bānglādēśa muktiyud'dha sam'mānanā); conferred to heads of states and heads of governments:

1. King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
2. President Fidel Castro^[4]
3. President Pranab Mukherjee^[5]
4. Prime Minister I. K. Gujral.^[6]
5. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee^[7]
6. President Ram Baran Yadav
7. President Girija Prasad Koirala^[8]
8. Prime Minister Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala^[9]
9. President Leonid IIyich Brezhnev
10. President Nikolai Viktorovich Podgorny
11. Prime Minister Alexei Nikolaevich Kosygin
12. Prime Minister Sir Edward Richard George Heath
13. President Marshal Josip Broz Tito

• Friends of Liberation War Honour -(Bengali: মুক্তিযুদ্ধ মৈত্রী সম্মাননা Muktiyud'dha maitrī sam'mānanā); conferred to individuals, six organisations and Mitra Bahini. The individuals include 257 Indians, 88 Americans, 41 Pakistanis, 39 Britons, nine Russians, 18 Nepalese, 16 French and 18 Japanese. Three ceremonies were held between March 2012 ^[10] and October 2012.^[11]

India

• Param Vir Chakra

Recipients of the Param Vir Chakra:^[12][13]

1. Lance Naik Albert Ekka (Posthumously)
2. Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon (Posthumously)
3. Major Hoshiar Singh
4. Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal (Posthumously)

• Maha Vir Chakra

Recipients

• Vir Chakra

Recipients^[14]

Pakistan

• Nishan-i-Haider

Recipients of the Nishan-E-Haider:^[16][17]

1. Major Muhammad Akram (posthumously)
2. Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas (posthumously)
3. Major Shabbir Sharif (posthumously)
4. Sarwar Muhammad Hussain (posthumously)
5. Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz (posthumously)

See also

• Liberation War of Bangladesh
• Bangladeshi honours system
• Military awards and decorations of Bangladesh

References

1. ↑ The Bir Sreshtho বীরশ্রেষ্ঠ [The Most Valiant Hero], birsreshtho.com, retrieved 22 December 2015 
2. ↑ Independence Day Award, Cabinet Division, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
3. ↑ Haroon Habib (25 July 2011). "Bangladesh honours Indira Gandhi with highest award". The Hindu. 
4. ↑ "Bangladesh will remember Castro with reverence: PM". The Daily Star. Dhaka. November 27, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016. 
5. ↑ Pranab Mukherjee receives Bangladesh's second highest award. NDTV.com (2013-03-05). Retrieved on 2014-05-21.
6. ↑ http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=254652
7. ↑ Former Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee honoured for his 1971 role: On his behalf Modi receives Bangladesh Liberation War award from Hamid, 8 June 2015 
8. ↑ http://www.nepalnews.com/mobile/view_article.php?id=22279
9. ↑ Friends of freedom honoured, Wednesday, 28 March 2012, thedailystar.net
10. ↑ "B'desh honours foreign friends", The Financial Express, 28 March 2012 
11. ↑ Nation honours foreign friends, The Financial Express, 21 October 2012 
12. ↑ "Martyrs". National Defense Academy, Pune. 
13. ↑ "Param Vir Chakra". Government of India. 
14. ↑ "Vir Chakra Awardee List". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 27 June 2014. 
15. ↑ Vir Chakra (VrC) Awardee: Lt Col Raj Singh, VrC, SM, The War Decorated, India 
16. ↑ "Nishan-e-Haider holders of Pakistan Army". 
17. ↑ "Nishan-e-Haider". Shaheed Foundation Pakistan.