Lesson 5/53 min
Wartime institutions and honours
Wartime institutions
| Topic | Fact |
|---|---|
| First stamps | Issued 29 July 1971; a set of 8; designed by Biman Mullick; printed in London by Format International |
| Bangladesh Field Hospital | In Tripura, India, under Sector 2; backed by the provisional government |
| Commanding officer of the hospital | Dr Setara Begum, Bir Protik |
| Swadhin Bangla football team | Formed in 1971; captain Zakaria Pintu |
People of the field hospital
- Doctors M. A. Mobin and Zafrullah Chowdhury joined from Britain
- Sultana Kamal was one of the volunteers
- Setara Begum received the Bir Protik gallantry award
Watch out: One book prints the commanding officer as ‘Setara Rahman’. The right name is Setara Begum.
Highest honour for foreigners
- Bangladesh Freedom Honour (স্বাধীনতা সম্মাননা): the highest state honour for foreigners
- Given posthumously to Indira Gandhi in 2011 (25 July); Sonia Gandhi received it on her behalf
Check yourself
Who designed the first stamps?
At a glance
- 1
The first wartime stamps came out on 29 July 1971, designed by Biman Mullick and printed in London.
- 2
The Bangladesh Field Hospital was in Tripura, under Sector 2.
- 3
Commanding officer Dr Setara Begum, Bir Protik; Zafrullah Chowdhury and M. A. Mobin joined.
- 4
The captain of the Swadhin Bangla football team was Zakaria Pintu.
- 5
Indira Gandhi received the Bangladesh Freedom Honour posthumously in 2011.