Bangladesh honours Krishna Menon

Forty years after its Liberation War, Bangladesh Government has honoured former Defence Minister V K Krishna Menon posthumously at a ceremony attended by the Bangladesh President and Prime Minister in Dhaka, thus formally recognising his contribution to their war of Independence.

Menon's grand niece Radha Anand Menon and her husband Anand Menon were invited as state guests at the award ceremony on October 1.

Radha received the award on behalf of her grand-uncle.

This is the seventh phase of the award ceremony. In the first phase held last year, Congress President Sonia Gandh had received the award on behalf of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi while President Pranab Mukherjee had received the award in February this year.

This year, 44 were from India, many of them from the Defence forces, including a 91-year-old former General who took part in the Liberation War, were honoured. Four each were from Pakistan and the US, two each from the UK, Japan, Egypt and one each from Turkey and Sri Lanka.

The 'Bangladesh Liberation War Honour' was conferred on former Indian President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and former Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda. 58 others were honoured with 'Friends of Liberation War Honour'.

Veteran Bollywood actors Waheeda Rehaman and Biswajit, who had raised funds for the war, were among those who received the award. Bangladesh has honoured 338 foreign nationals for their role in favour of its Independence.

Dipu Moni, Foreign minister of Bangladesh, and Convenor of National Committee to honour foreign friends of Bangladesh Liberation war in a letter to Radha said "the National committee has particularly taken note of support extended by our foreign friends to the Bangladesh cause and also the moral and material support to our people during the war."

"We are mindful that your grand uncle's support came at a critical time when we stood up in the face of barbaric atrocities and the worst ever genocide in world history. His support contributed to the eventful emergence of sovereign Bangladesh," Moni said in his letter

"We are cognisant of the fact that our decision to formally recognise your grand uncle's contribution has come 40 years since our achieving Independence. But that omission today is set right forever for our posterity and for the world," he said in the letter dated September 16.

The event was held from September 30 to October 3 to honour the friends of Bangladesh who had participated in or contributed to the process of Liberation War in 1971.