Awards and decorations of the Bangladesh Liberation War

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:

• Bir Sreshtho

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).

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

• Bir Uttom (Bengali: বীর উত্তম ccValiant of Courage)

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

• Independence 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 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.

• Bangladesh Freedom Honour -(Bengali: বাংলাদেশ স্বাধীনতা সম্মাননা Bānglādēśa sbādhīnatā sam'mānanā); posthumously conferred on former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.[3]
• 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[4]
2. President Fidel Castro[5]
3. President Pranab Mukherjee[6]
4. Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral.[7]
5. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee[8]
6. President Ram Baran Yadav
7. Prime Minister/ Acting Head of state Girija Prasad Koirala[9]
8. Prime Minister Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala[10]
9. General Secretary 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[10]

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, 9 Russians, 18 Nepalese, 16 French and 18 Japanese. Three ceremonies were held between March 2012[11] and October 2012.[12]