The 1971 conflict on the subcontinent goes by several different names: the India-Pakistan War of 1971, the War of Bangladeshi Liberation, the Pakistani Civil War... whatever you want to call it, it started in late March, 1971 with the declaration of independence of East Pakistan (currently Bangladesh) from West Pakistan, and ended (with the intervention of the Indian armed forces) with the creation of the People's Republic of Bangladesh on 16 December, 1971.

During the conflict, on 20 August, Flight Lieutenant M Matiur Rahman, a Bengali officer in the Pakistani Air Force, attempted to hijack an aircraft and defect with it to East Pakistan. Also on board was trainee pilot Rashid Minhas.

Pakistan has always maintained that the trainee pilot, Rashid Minhas, prevented the attempted hijacking, which resulted in the aircraft crashing shortly before leaving Pakistani airspace on 20 August, 1971.

Both Rehman and Minhas were killed.

Minhas was immediately decorated with Pakistan's highest gallantry award, the Nishan-e-Haider, and Rehman declared a traitor.

But as East Pakistan became Bangladesh in December 1971, the newly independent state declared Rehman as one of its war heroes.

He was decorated with Bangladesh's highest military honour - the Bir Sreshtho (BBC).

On 24 June of this year, after negotiation between the Pakistani and Bangladeshi governments, Rahman's remains were sent to Bangladesh for a hero's burial there.

M. Matiur Rahman's flag-draped coffin was received by Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on behalf of the nation, as members of the country's defence forces gave a guard of honour, broadcast live by the state-run Bangladesh Television (Dawn).