By Mizan RahmanDhakaBangladesh President Zillur Rahman yesterday expressed his gratefulness by recognising the contributions of foreigners for their support to his country’s liberation war in 1971 and invaluable services from their respective positions.“Their invaluable support gave impetus to achieving our victory,” he said while conferring ‘Bangladesh Liberation War Honour’ and ‘Friends of Liberation War Honour’ upon 82 people from abroad.The award giving ceremony was held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Cabinet members and diplomats were present at the function.The president said the government of Bangladesh had decided to recognise the “friends of our Liberation War” as humble recognition for their invaluable contributions.He noted that Bangladesh had achieved some significant progress both at national and international arena. “It is a matter of pride that Bangladesh is a unique symbol of communal harmony,” he said. Rahman said people of Bangladesh believed in global peace and amity, and therefore, the country had been playing pivotal role in promoting global peace by sending largest number of troops to the UN peacekeeping missions since 1988.The president and the prime minister gave 82 awardees gold-plated silver metallic plaques bearing replica of the National Memorial and a citation on silk cloth.Bangladesh, then the eastern part of Pakistan, gained independence through a nine-month bloody war that ended on December 16, 1971 after thousands of Pakistani soldiers surrendered in Dhaka.While India was the main supporter of the struggle, many foreign politicians, diplomats, artistes, authors, journalists and students had come forward to support Bangladesh’s freedom struggle.The government last year took the decision to honour those foreigners.