Bangladesh Liberation War veteran Col Quazi Sajjad Ali Zahir was conferred with India's coveted "Padma Shri Award-2021" for public affairs today.
He received the "Padma Shri", India's fourth highest civilian award, from the President of India Ram Nath Kovind at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhaban here.
Eminent Rabindra Sangeet exponent Sanjida Khatun was also nominated for the award for 2021. But, she could not turn up to receive the award. Sources said that her award will be handed over in Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar were, among others, present at the award giving ceremony.
Col Zahir, 71, was born in Daudkandi in Kumilla district on April 11, 1951. He joined the then Pakistan Army at the end of 1969 as a cadet.
When the Bangladesh Liberation started, he fled from Pakistan at the end of August and came to India to join the war. Zahir joined the Bangladesh Liberation war in September 1971.
He organized the 2nd Artillery Force under Sector 4 in the Sylhet region, sources said.
The Bangladesh government awarded him the title of "Bir Protik" for his bravery in the war. He was also awarded the "Bangladesh Independence Day Award", the highest civilian award, for his contribution to Bangladesh's Great War of Liberation.
He founded Shuddhoi Muktijoddho to provide recognition to indigenous veterans of Bangladesh Liberation war.
With the two, four Bangladeshi distinguished personalities were honoured with the Padma award for 2020 and 2021. They included a career diplomat late Syed Muazzem Ali and eminent archaeologist Prof. Enamul Hque.
Syed Muazzem Ali, former high commissioner of Bangladesh to India, was conferred with the "Padma Bhushan", the third-highest civilian award in India for public affairs while eminent Bangladeshi scholar Prof. Enamul Haque the "Padma Shri" award for Archeology.
Muazzem Ali’s wife Tuhfa Zaman Ali received the award on behalf of her late husband while Prof. Enamul Haque received the award of his own from the President of India Ram Nath Kovind yesterday.
Every year India confers the prestigious Padma award in three categories, namely- Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
