<p>A firebrand monk dubbed the "Buddhist bin Laden" for his role in stirring up religious hatred in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/myanmar" target="_blank">Myanmar</a> received a national award on Tuesday, with the junta saluting his work in the country.</p>.<p>Wirathu -- who received the moniker from <em>Time Magazine</em> in 2013 following deadly communal riots -- was awarded the title of "Thiri Pyanchi" on Tuesday, the military's information team said.</p>.<p>The award for "outstanding work for the good of the Union of Myanmar" was presented by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, it added.</p>.<p>Wirathu is one of hundreds of people receiving awards and honorary titles as the junta prepares to mark the 75th anniversary of Myanmar's independence from Britain on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Wirathu has long been known for his nationalist anti-Islamic rhetoric -- particularly against the Rohingya Muslim minority.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/myanmars-suu-kyi-prisoner-of-generals-1176501.html" target="_blank">Myanmar's Suu Kyi: Prisoner of generals</a></strong></p>.<p>In 2013, he appeared on the cover of <em>Time Magazine</em> as 'The Face of Buddhist Terror'.</p>.<p>He had called for boycotts of Muslim-owned businesses and restrictions on marriages between Buddhists and Muslims.</p>.<p>Rights groups said these helped whip up animosity towards the community, laying the foundations for a military crackdown in 2017 that forced about 740,000 Rohingya to flee over the border to Bangladesh.</p>.<p>Wirathu was later jailed by Aung San Suu Kyi's government on sedition charges.</p>.<p>In September 2021, the junta announced it had released Wirathu after all charges against him had been dropped.</p>.<p>Suu Kyi, 77, has been detained since being ousted by the military coup almost two years ago.</p>.<p>Last week, a junta court handed down its verdicts in the final charges against the Nobel laureate, who now faces the possibility of spending the rest of her life behind bars with a total of 33 years in prison.</p>
<p>A firebrand monk dubbed the "Buddhist bin Laden" for his role in stirring up religious hatred in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/myanmar" target="_blank">Myanmar</a> received a national award on Tuesday, with the junta saluting his work in the country.</p>.<p>Wirathu -- who received the moniker from <em>Time Magazine</em> in 2013 following deadly communal riots -- was awarded the title of "Thiri Pyanchi" on Tuesday, the military's information team said.</p>.<p>The award for "outstanding work for the good of the Union of Myanmar" was presented by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, it added.</p>.<p>Wirathu is one of hundreds of people receiving awards and honorary titles as the junta prepares to mark the 75th anniversary of Myanmar's independence from Britain on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Wirathu has long been known for his nationalist anti-Islamic rhetoric -- particularly against the Rohingya Muslim minority.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/myanmars-suu-kyi-prisoner-of-generals-1176501.html" target="_blank">Myanmar's Suu Kyi: Prisoner of generals</a></strong></p>.<p>In 2013, he appeared on the cover of <em>Time Magazine</em> as 'The Face of Buddhist Terror'.</p>.<p>He had called for boycotts of Muslim-owned businesses and restrictions on marriages between Buddhists and Muslims.</p>.<p>Rights groups said these helped whip up animosity towards the community, laying the foundations for a military crackdown in 2017 that forced about 740,000 Rohingya to flee over the border to Bangladesh.</p>.<p>Wirathu was later jailed by Aung San Suu Kyi's government on sedition charges.</p>.<p>In September 2021, the junta announced it had released Wirathu after all charges against him had been dropped.</p>.<p>Suu Kyi, 77, has been detained since being ousted by the military coup almost two years ago.</p>.<p>Last week, a junta court handed down its verdicts in the final charges against the Nobel laureate, who now faces the possibility of spending the rest of her life behind bars with a total of 33 years in prison.</p>