LAHORE, March 9: The Bangladesh government has honoured poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and rights activist Asma Jahangir’s father Malik Ghulam Jilani.

“The BD foreign ministry lamented that they were recognising these voices after many decades, but felt that to do so was essential as these individuals stood by Bengalis in their worst times,” said a release on Saturday.

Faiz wrote “Sajay tao kaisay sajay katlay aam ka mela” in 1971 and his famous “Hum kay thehray ajnabi itni mulakatoon ke baad” after the fall of Dhaka.

Malik Ghulam Jilani remained arrested for openly opposing army action in the then East Pakistan. His letter to the then president, Yahya Khan, was widely published in which he predicted separation of East Pakistan and denounced the planned army action there.

Salima Hashmi and Asma Jahangir will accept the honour to be bestowed on their late fathers in Dhaka on March 23, said the release.