The Bir Sreshtho (The Most Valiant Hero) is the highest military award of Bangladesh

Bangladesh

Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...

. It was awarded to seven freedom fighters who showed utmost bravery and died in action for their nation. They are considered martyr

Martyr

A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...

s.

The other three gallantry awards are named, in decreasing order of importance, Bir Uttom

Bir Uttom

Bir Uttom is the second highest award for individual gallantry in Bangladesh after the Bir Sreshtho.Since independence of Bangladesh in 1971, 69 people have been awarded as Bir Uttom....

, Bir Bikrom

Bir Bikrom

Bir Bikrom is the third highest gallantry award in Bangladesh. Like the other gallantry awards, this was introduced immediately after the Bangladeshi Liberation War. Bir Bikrom was awarded to 175 fighters.-Recipients:...

and Bir Protik

Bir Protik

Bir Protik is the fourth highest gallantry award in Bangladesh .-Recipients:This award was declared on 15 December 1973...

. All of these awards were introduced immediately after the Liberation War

Bangladesh Liberation War

The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....

 in 1971.

Recipients of Bir Srestho

All the recipients of this award were killed in action during the Liberation War

Bangladesh Liberation War

The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....

 of 1971. The award was declared by the Bangladesh Gazette 15 December 1973. It's the highest military award of Bangladesh. Similar to the American Medal of Honor

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

 or the British Victoria Cross

Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

. It has only been given in 1973 to 7 people. Listed below are the 7 people to have received the Bir Srestho.They all are considered as Shaheed(Martyrs)

Bangladesh Army

Serial No.	ID Number & Rank	Name
1	BSS-10439 Captain	|Mohiuddin Jahangir Mohiuddin Jahangir Mohiuddin Jahangir was a Captain in the Bangladesh Army during the 1971 Liberation War. He was born in 1948 in the village of Rahimgonj under Babugonj upazilla of Barisal district. He was an officer in Sector 7 of the Muktibahini. He was killed in an attempt to break through enemy defences on the...  (Shaheed Martyr A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:... )
2	3943014 Sepoy Sepoy A sepoy was formerly the designation given to an Indian soldier in the service of a European power. In the modern Indian Army, Pakistan Army and Bangladesh Army it remains in use for the rank of private soldier.-Etymology and Historical usage:...	| Hamidur Rahman Hamidur Rahman Hamidur Rahman , , better known as Shaheed Sepoy Hamidur Rahman, was a Sepoy in Bangladesh Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Hamidur Rahman was killed on October 28, 1971 at Dhalai, Sylhet during an attempt to capture the Pakistani Army's position...  (Shaheed Martyr A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:... )
3	3937798 Sepoy Sepoy A sepoy was formerly the designation given to an Indian soldier in the service of a European power. In the modern Indian Army, Pakistan Army and Bangladesh Army it remains in use for the rank of private soldier.-Etymology and Historical usage:...	| Mostafa Kamal (Shaheed Martyr A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:... )

Bangladesh Navy

Serial No.	ID Number & Rank	Name
4	62066 Engine Room Artificer, Class-1	|Mohammad Ruhul Amin Mohammad Ruhul Amin Ruhul Amin , better known as Shaheed Mohammad Ruhul Amin, was an engineroom artificer in the Bangladesh Navy who was posthumously awarded the nation's highest bravery award for his service during the Liberation War...  (Shaheed Martyr A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:... )

Bangladesh Air Force

Serial No.	ID Number & Rank	Name
5	Pak/4367 Flight Lieutenant Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...	|Matiur Rahman Matiur Rahman (military pilot) Matiur Rahman or M. Matiur Rahman was a Flight Lieutenant in the Pakistan Air Force when the Liberation War broke out. His date of birth is sometimes given as 29 November 1941....  (Shaheed Martyr A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:... )

Bangladesh RiflesPresently known as Border Guard Bangladesh

Serial No.	ID Number & Rank	Name
6	Lance Naik Lance Naik Lance Naik is the equivalent rank to Lance Corporal in the Pakistan and Indian Armies and before 1947, in the British Indian Army, ranking below Naik. In cavalry units the equivalent is Acting Lance Daffadar. Like a British Lance Corporal, he wore a single rank chevron....	|Munshi Abdur Rouf Munshi Abdur Rouf Munshi Abdur Rouf was a Lance Nayek in East Pakistan Rifles during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He enrolled in the East Bengal Regiment on 8 May 1963, and was attached with a regular infantry unit during War of Liberation...  (EB-R, Shaheed Martyr A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:... )
7	9459 Lance Naik Lance Naik Lance Naik is the equivalent rank to Lance Corporal in the Pakistan and Indian Armies and before 1947, in the British Indian Army, ranking below Naik. In cavalry units the equivalent is Acting Lance Daffadar. Like a British Lance Corporal, he wore a single rank chevron....	| Lance Naik Nur Mohammad Sheikh Nur Mohammad Sheikh Nur Mohammad Sheikh was a Lance Nayek in East Pakistan Rifles during the Liberation War....   (Shaheed Martyr A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:... )

Note: When referring to martyrs, the word 'shaheed' is often put before each individuals name as a mark of respect. The list has been prepared as on the declaration by the Bangladesh Gazette.

External links

• The Listing of Martyr and Details of their Martyrdom Bir Sreshtho - The Highest Gallantry Award