The contribution of these people in the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent state can never be forgotten, they added.

The discussion was organised by the Liberation War Museum in observance of the World Refugee Day.

To mark the occasion, a weeklong photo exhibition styled 'Refugee mothers and in honour of the mothers who carried our dream' was inaugurated.

The museum also displayed photos of those 'Mothers' who rendered their firm and generous hands for the people who were exiled from home.

Speakers at the discussion paid homage to three noble women, Mother Teresa, Moitreyi Devi and Anjali Lahiri, who provided their help to distressed refugees.

They said Poet Sufia Kamal and mother of martyrs Jahanara Imam will remain as the beacon of inspiration for crores of freedom-loving people.

Mofidul Haque, a trustee of the Liberation War Museum, said refugees are very much part of the liberation war of Bangladesh and expressed gratitude to respectful figures like Salil Ghosh, Oxfam worker Julian Francis and Sanghamitra Desai, the then student of Kolkata Medical College, for their generosity to Bengali refugees.

Akku Chowdhury, another trustee of the Liberation War Museum, highlighted the contribution of Jahanara Imam and Poet Sufia Kamal to the war.

Pia Prytz Phiri, UNHCR representative in Bangladesh, expressed her satisfaction over the observance of the day.

She said the memories, which still torment the people of Bangladesh, should be used in a constructive way.

Ali Reza, acting officer-in-charge of the United Nations Information Centre, Saif Imam Jami, son of Jahanara Imam, and Ziauddin Tariq Ali, a trustee of the Liberation War Museum, also spoke on the occasion.

Filmmaker Jahanara Noori presented a video documentary on Julian Francis and Sanghamitra Desai.