The Kennedy family, which has historic bonding with Bangladesh established in 1971 during the War of Liberation, has proved to be a real friend of Bangladesh.
The family’s love for Bangladesh people and the contribution to its liberation struggle have come to the fore again with Edward M Kennedy Jr arriving in Bangladesh with his entire family on a weeklong visit.
His father Edward M Kennedy, then a Massachusetts senator, stood by the people of Bangladesh and campaigned for the Liberation War going against the Nixon-Kissinger administration’s policy on resolute support to Pakistan.
A sibling of 35th US President John F Kennedy, Edward M Kennedy even travelled to India in August 1971 to witness the plight of the displaced Bengalis. He strongly criticised the Nixon-Kissinger administration’s policy at a press conference in Delhi.
Edward M Kennedy, also known as Ted Kennedy, along with his wife and nephew visited Bangladesh just two after the victory against Pakistan. During the visit, he addressed an event in Dhaka University on 14 February 1972 and planted a banyan tree on the campus.
“I have come to Bangladesh to bring you the prayers and hopes of millions of people of the United States of America, and I’m proud to stand here at Dacca University, long the symbol and focus of the Bengali struggle for self-determination, and the first target of those who have sought to repress that freedom,” he said.
The Bangladesh government awarded him the ‘Friends of Liberation War Honour' in recognition of his contribution to the Bangladesh’s Liberation War.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday evening handed over the "Friends of Bangladesh" medal to Edward M Kennedy Jr at a dinner she hosed in honour of him and his family at a hotel in the Dhaka.
At the reception, the Prime Minister recalled the visit of Kennedy Sr to Bangladesh in February, 1972 and said that he also raised his voice and drummed up public support in the US in favour of Bangladesh's Liberation War.