Lesson 3/35 min
Contributions of foreigners
Friends from abroad
| Name | Who | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| William A. S. Ouderland | Born in Amsterdam; Australian citizen; Bata company executive | Fought in Sector 2; the only foreigner with the Bir Protik |
| Allen Ginsberg | American poet | The poem ‘September on Jessore Road’ |
| George Harrison | English musician (born in Liverpool) | Chief organiser and performer of the Concert for Bangladesh |
| Ravi Shankar | Indian sitar player | Co-organiser of the concert |
| Jagjit Singh Aurora | Lieutenant General of India | Chief of the joint India–Bangladesh command; signed the surrender document on 16 December |
The Concert for Bangladesh
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | 1 August 1971 |
| Place | Madison Square Garden, New York |
| Shows | Two; about 40,000 people in all |
| Performers | George Harrison, Ravi Shankar, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Leon Russell |
| Film director | Saul Swimmer |
| Funds | Administered by UNICEF for the refugees |
Watch out: Many books call George Harrison an American; he was English. The books give the money raised as US$9 million in one place and 2.5 lakh in another, and sources differ, so no figure is given here.
Did you know?: Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016; in 1971 he sang at the concert for Bangladesh.
Check yourself
Who is the only foreigner to receive the Bir Protik?
At a glance
- 1
The only foreigner with the Bir Protik is William A. S. Ouderland: born in Amsterdam, an Australian citizen, Sector 2.
- 2
‘September on Jessore Road’ was written by the American poet Allen Ginsberg.
- 3
The Concert for Bangladesh: 1 August 1971, Madison Square Garden, New York; chief organiser George Harrison, co-organiser Ravi Shankar.
- 4
George Harrison was English, not American; Bob Dylan was among the performers.
- 5
Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora headed the India–Bangladesh joint command.