Awards and decorations of the Bangladesh Liberation War were decorations bestowed by the major warring parties for actions during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Bangladesh, India and Pakistan all issued awards and decorations related to the conflict.
A listing of the medals bestowed are as follows:
A total of 677 participants of the Bangladesh War of Independence received gallantry awards for their service and bravery. Four categories of gallantry awards were created after the war in Bangladesh. These were:
The Bir Sreshtho (Bengali : বীরশ্রেষ্ঠ) (Valiant of Courage), 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 Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971. The award was published by the Bangladesh Gazette on 15 December 1973. It is the highest military award of Bangladesh, similar to the U.S. Medal of Honor or the UK's Victoria Cross. It has only been given in 1973 to seven people. Listed below are the people who have received the Bir Srestho medal. They are all considered 'Shaheed' (Martyrs).
Recipients
No. | NAME | SECTOR | RANK |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Khaja Nazimuddin Bhuiyan, (posthumous) | Sector-04 | Leader Public Force/Gano Bahini |
02 | K M Shafiullah | Commander, S Force | Major |
03 | Ziaur Rahman | Commander, Z Force | Major |
04 | Chittoronjon Datta | Sector Commander-04 | Major |
05 | Kazi Nuruzzaman | Sector Commander-07 | Major |
06 | Mir Showkat Ali | Sector Commander-05 | Major |
07 | Khaled Mosharraf | Commander, K Force | Major |
08 | Abdul Manzur | Sector Commander-08 | Major |
09 | Abu Taher | Interim Sector Commander-11 | Major |
10 | A N M Nuruzzaman | Sector Commander-03 | Captain |
11 | Rafiqul Islam | Sector Commander-01 | Captain |
12 | Abdus Salek Choudhury | Sector Commander-02 | Captain |
13 | Aminul Haque | Commander, 8 East Bengal | Major |
14 | Mohammad Abdur Rab | Army chief, AHQ | Lieutenant Colonel |
15 | A K Khandker | Deputy Chief of Staff Army | Group Captain |
16 | Shahjahan Omar | – | – |
17 | Kader Siddique | – | – |
18 | Liakat Ali Khan | – | – |
19 | Shahabuddin Ahmed | – | – |
20 | Anwar Hossain Pahari | – | – |
21 | Aftab Ali | (Sector-11)3rd East Bengal | subeder |
22 | Motiur Rahman | – | Lieutenant Colonel |
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. In recent 1 Bir Bikrom title award postponed. So total Bir Bikram awarded person is 174.
This award was officially declared on 15 December 1973 through the Bangladesh Gazette. According to the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, a total of 426 people have received the award. [2]
Samor Pawdok (War Medal) | |
Joy Pawdok (Victory Medal) | |
Rono Taroka (Campaign Star) | |
Mukti Taroka (Liberation Star) |
The Independence Day Award (Bengali : স্বাধীনতা পদক), [3] 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 organisations 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.
Recipients of the Param Vir Chakra: [14] [15]
S. No. | Rank | Name |
---|---|---|
01 | Lance Naik | Albert Ekka |
02 | Flying Officer | Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon (Posthumously) |
03 | Major | Hoshiar Singh |
04 | Second Lieutenant | Arun Khetarpal (Posthumously) |
Recipients
Recipients [16]
S. no. | Rank | Name | Branch | Award Date | Awarded for |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | Adm | Laxminarayan Ramdass | Indian Navy | 1 December 1971 | Operation Cactus Lily |
02 | Subedar | Gurdev Singh Hans | Indian Army | 4 December 1971 | Operation Cactus Lily |
03 | Maj | Nanjappa K P | Indian Army | 5 December 1971 | Battle of Daudkandi |
04 | Lt Col | Raj Singh | Indian Army | 15 December 1971 | Operation Cactus Lily [17] |
05 | Major | PK Sharma | Indian Army | 6 December 1971 | Operation Cactus Lily |
06 | Captain | Jatinder Kumar | Indian Army | Operation Cactus Lily | |
07 | Col | Gopal Krishna Trivedi | Indian Army | 11 December 1971 | Operation Cactus Lily |
08 | Lt Col | Satish Nambiar | Indian Army | Operation Cactus Lily | |
09 | Air Cmde | Jasjit Singh | Indian Air Force | 17 December 1971 | Operation Cactus Lily |
10 | Grenadier | Rafiq Khan | Indian Army | 19 December 1971 | Operation Cactus Lily |
11 | Vice Adm | Arun Prakash | Indian Navy | 21 December 1971 | Operation Cactus Lily |
12 | Squadron Leader | M A Ganapathy | Indian Air force | 1972 | Boyra Encounter (1971) |
|- | 13 | 2/LT | David A Devadasan | Indian Army - 1 MAHAR | Battle of Harar Kalan | 10/11 December 1971
Recipients of the Nishan-E-Haider: [18] [19]
The Bir Sreshtho, 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.
Nishan-e-Haider, is the highest military gallantry award of Pakistan. The Nishan-e-Haider is awarded posthumously and only to members of the Pakistan Armed Forces. It recognises the highest acts of extraordinary bravery in the face of the enemy in air, land, or sea. It has been awarded only 11 times since Pakistan's independence in 1947.
Pilot Officer Rashid MinhasNH was a Pakistani fighter pilot and the fifth recipient of Pakistan's highest military award, the Nishan-e-Haider. Minhas was the first and only officer from the Pakistan Air Force to receive the Nishan-e-Haider, and was also the youngest person and the shortest-serving officer to have received the award. During a routine training mission in August 1971, Minhas attempted to gain control of his jet trainer when his superior officer Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman hijacked the plane in an attempt to defect to India to join the Bangladesh Liberation War but crashed near the Thatta District, Sindh in Pakistan.
The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India's highest military decoration, awarded for displaying distinguished acts of valour during wartime. Param Vir Chakra translates as the "Wheel of the Ultimate Brave", and the award is granted for "most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy". As of January 2018, the medal has been awarded 21 times, of which 14 were posthumous and 16 arose from actions in Indo-Pakistani conflicts. Of the 21 awardees, 20 have been from the Indian Army and one has been from the Indian Air Force. Major Somnath Sharma was the first recipient. A number of state governments of India as well as ministries of the central government provide allowances and rewards to recipients of the PVC.
Mohammad Mustafa Kamal, better known as Shaheed Sipahi Mustafa Kamal, was a sepoy in the Bangladesh Army during the Liberation War. He was born on 16 December 1947 in Hajipur village of Daulatkhan upazila under Bhola district. His father, Habibur Rahman was a Havilder. On 18 April 1971, Mostafa Kamal was killed in a defensive battle against the Pakistan Army in Daruin village of Brahmanbaria. He was posthumously awarded Bir Sreshtho.
Hamidur Rahman was a sepoy in Bangladesh Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Rahman was killed on 28 October 1971 at Dholoi during the Battle of Dhalai, Srimangal during an attempt to capture the Pakistani Army position. The advancing Mukti Bahini column finally captured the Dhalai Border Outpost on 3 November 1971. He was posthumously awarded the Bir Sreshtho, the highest recognition of bravery in Bangladesh. The Dhalai post was eventually captured permanently by three infantry battalions belonging to 61 Mountain Brigade, one battalion belonging to East Bengal Regiment and 7 Rajputana Rifles supported by an artillery brigade of the Indian Army fought against 12 Frontier Force Regiment of the Pakistan Army.
Munshi Abdur Rouf BS was a Lance Nayek in the 11th Wing of East Pakistan Rifles during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He enlisted in the East Pakistan Rifles on 8 May 1963, and was attached with a regular infantry unit during the War of Liberation. Rouf died on 8 April 1971 at Burighat in Chittagong Hill Tracts after causing extensive damage to the Pakistani Army with his machine gun and forcing them to retreat. He was buried at Naniarchor Upazila in Rangamati District.
The 11th Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army that was re-raised after independence. The regiment consists of primarily the Kirant Tribes Rai, Limbu, Yakkha, Sunuwar of Eastern Nepal, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Dooars of West Bengal, Sikkim and other parts of Northeast India. Though it is considered to be the youngest of the Gorkha regiments its lineage is as long as those of the 7th Gurkha Rifles and 10th Gurkha Rifles.
Bir Uttom is the second highest award for individual gallantry in Bangladesh after the Bir Sreshtho and the highest gallantry award for a living individual.
Bir Protik is the fourth highest gallantry award in Bangladesh.
Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman BS was a Bengali fighter pilot in the Pakistan Air Force from East Pakistan and a recipient of Bir Sreshtho, Bangladesh's highest military award for his actions during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
The Indian Military Academy (IMA) is one of the oldest military academies in India, and trains officers for the Indian Army. Located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, it was established in 1932 following a recommendation by a military committee set up under the chairmanship of General Sir Philip Chetwode. From a class of 40 male cadets in 1932, IMA now has a sanctioned capacity of 1,650. Cadets undergo a training course varying between 3 and 16 months depending on entry criteria. On completion of the course at IMA cadets are permanently commissioned into the army as Lieutenants.
The Battle of Dhalai was fought between India and Pakistan before the formal start 1971 India-Pakistan War for the liberation of Bangladesh. The battle started after an attack by Indian Army on Pakistani border outpost (BOP) in East Pakistan on 28 October and lasted until 3 November 1971. Three infantry battalions belonging to 61 Mountain Brigade, one battalion belonging to East Bengal Regiment and 7 Rajputana Rifles supported by an artillery-sized brigade of Indian army fought against a battalion-sized 12 Frontier Force of Pakistan army.
Naik Muhammad Mahfuz was a Pakistani military officer and the ninth recipient of Pakistan's highest military award, Nishan-e-Haider. He was posthumously awarded for his gallant and valorous actions during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
The Independence Award, formally known as the Independence Day Award or Swadhinata Padak, is the highest state award given by the government of Bangladesh. Introduced in 1977 by President Ziaur Rahman, this award is bestowed upon Bangladeshi citizens or organizations in recognition of substantial contributions 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.
G. M. Mushfiqur Rahman Bir Uttom (1966–1989) was a lieutenant in the Bangladesh Army. Rahman was one of two military officers who were awarded Bir Uttom, the other being Brigadier Jamil Uddin Ahmed who died while trying to prevent the assassination of President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, after the end of Bangladesh Liberation War.
The Bangladesh Freedom Honour 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. The award recognises her role as an ally during the Bangladesh War of Liberation and her capacity to manage such a complex regional war. 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". 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.
The existing Bangladeshi honours system was created after Independence of Bangladesh. The highest civilian honours are the Independence Award and Ekushey Padak. They are awarded every year. The awards are civilian awards for a broad set of achievements in fields such as Education, Arts, Civil Service, or Social Service and Liberation War. Awards were also bestowed posthumously and they are not given for foreign citizens.
Quazi Sazzad Ali Zahir is a veteran of the Bangladesh Liberation War. The Bangladesh government awarded him the Bir Protik gallantary award for his bravery in the war. He was conferred with the Independence Award, Bangladesh's highest civilian in 2013 and India's fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri on November 9, 2021.
Mohammad Ziauddin, BU is a retired Bangladeshi military officer, who was the Commanding Officer of the 1st East Bengal Regiment during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He was awarded the Bir Uttom, the country's second highest gallantry award for his outstanding bravery in the Liberation War. His certificate number was 22.