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Letters to the Editor

Honouring frontline warriors against pandemic

Tuesday, 8 December 2020


Celebrated broadcaster, historian, and freedom fighter Muhammad Musa is advocating that all doctors, nurses and medical assistants on the front-line in the war against Covid-19 are conferred with the honour, "Hero of Humanitarian Services". The former secretary to the government has proposed to the prime minister that all "noble and brave" medics are presented with The BangabandhuManabshebaBir [Hero of Humanitarian Services]. He proposes the presentation happens before March 16, 2021, during the 100th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu.
Mr. Musa said: "A certificate, medal or crest in recognition of their outstanding devotion to helping humanity would be treasured by them for the rest of their lives." He added, "It is a 'thank you', a token of appreciation they all deserve and would be passed down with pride from one generation to the next as a family heirloom."
Musa, who has written five books on the history of Bangladesh, describes those on the front-line combating Covid-19 today equally as modern day heroes and heroines. "As in 1971, these noble people are risking their lives daily in the hope of saving the lives of complete strangers. They do this with enormous compassion and hope to Allah they themselves will be spared."
"Many of them have already fallen prey to the virus. Many, less fortunate still, have succumbed to its deadly power, leaving behind both young and elderly to fend for themselves," he said. This author made a suggestion tothe prime minister: "By recognising their treasured contribution in this Coronavirus war in the way I propose, will again etch your name deep in history as it did when you established a programme to thank Foreign Friends for their contribution to Bangladesh in 1971."
Sir Frank Peters
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