Published on 10:23 AM, September 17, 2016

PM confers ‘Liberation War honour’ on Pierre Trudeau

BSS, Montreal

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hands over the "Friends of Liberation War Honour" award to Pierre Trudeau's son and Canada's incumbent PM Justin Trudeau after her bilateral talks with him at Hyatt Regency Montreal, Quebec on September 16, 2016. Photo: PID

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has conferred "Bangladesh Liberation War Honour" award posthumously on former Canadian premier Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

She handed over the "Friends of Liberation War Honour" award to Pierre Trudeau's son and Canada's incumbent PM Justin Trudeau after her bilateral talks with him at Hyatt Regency Montreal yesterday.

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The Bangladesh government awarded the honour to Pierre Trudeau for his outstanding support and contribution during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque and Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Bangladesh High Commissioner in Ottawa Mizanur Rahman were present on the occasion.

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Briefing reporters after the event, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Huq said while handing over the award, Sheikh Hasina mentioned that Trudeau was one of the few international leaders who stood firm beside the people of Bangladesh in its struggle for independence.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (R) greets Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh during a bi-lateral meeting at the Fifth Replenishment Conference of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in Montreal, Quebec September 16, 2016. Photo: Reuters

"Pierre Trudeau spoke in favour of Bangladesh's liberation war at international level and Canada was one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh immediately after its independence," she said.

The Bangladesh premier said Trudeau also openly supported Bangladesh's membership in the United Nations and the Commonwealth.

The foreign secretary said handing over "Friends of Liberation War Honour" award to Pierre Trudeau's son Canada's incumbent PM Justin Trudeau was a mix of two things as Sheikh Hasina and Justin Trudeau both are the "second generation" prime ministers.

"The award was handed over through reminiscing of the relations between the fathers of two leaders," the foreign secretary said.

The premier expressed her gratitude to Justin Trudeau for receiving the award on behalf of the family.

"I wish prosperity and happiness of the friendly people of Canada and good health, long life and happiness of his Excellency Justin Trudeau and his family members," she said.

Sheikh Hasina hoped that the existing friendly relations between Bangladesh and Canada would continue to grow in the days to come.

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