Dhaka, Dec 12 (bdnews24.com) - The government has approved a list of 127 foreign citizens and institutions to be recognised and honoured for their contributions to the 1971 Liberation War.
"Four names have been excluded and seven new included," state minister for liberation war affairs A B Tajul Islam said on Monday after a cabinet meeting finalised the list.
The list includes the late Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, Pandit Ravi Shankar, American poet Allen Ginsberg, musician Joan Baez, senator Edward Kennedy and musician George Harrison.
In July Sonia Gandhi, Indira's daughter-in-law, received the honour conferred on the late Indian prime minister from president Zillur Rahman. The Congress chief had come to Dhaka to attend an international conference on autism.
The high-level committee led by Tajul proposed a list of 124 persons, which the cabinet made into 127.
"There is scope of adding names to the list," Tajul said and added that the honours would be awarded at a ceremony between Jan 10 and Mar 26 next year.
"The time will be finalised according to the prime minister's schedule," he added.
The ceremony would be held at the parliament plaza.
The honours will be given in several categories. Indira Gandhi is the sole recipient of the 'Shadhinota Shammanona'.
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