DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has decided to honour nearly 2,000 Indian soldiers who were killed along with the freedom fighters in the 1971 Liberation war against Pakistan.

Hasina will convey her decision in this regard to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Bangladesh on June 6-7.

While PM Hasina is due to hand over a crest (trophy) to Modi to honour former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his contribution in the 1971 freedom movement, she will also express her interest in honouring the war heroes of India, officials said.

The decision in this regard was taken by Hasina herself. According to the government as many as 1,984 Indian Army men were killed in the war.

Officials said the government wants to address the long-pending issue of honouring the Indian war heroes at the earliest.

The government - which had earlier honoured other Indian supporters of Bangladesh freedom movement, including writers and politicians - proposes to hand over certificates and crests to the family members of the slain army men as an honour to further cement India-Bangladesh ties.

BDST: 1047 HRS, JUNE 2, 2015
AKA/SMS