Indian army chief lauds people of Bangladesh

BSS, NEW DELHI: Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane has lauded the people of Bangladesh for standing up for their right to liberty and independence, saying that uncountable freedom fighters made supreme sacrifices for their motherland in 1971.

Addressing a seminar cum webinar on “India-Bangladesh: Fifty Years of Friendship” here yesterday (Wednesday), he also appreciated the role of Bangladeshi leaders who led from the front to give birth to the dream of an independent Bangladesh.

Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) organized the seminar at the India International Centre (IIC) commemorating the 50 years of India-Bangladesh friendship as well as the decisive victory in the India- Pakistan War 1971.

Referring to Bangladesh India relation, he said the existing bilateral relation between the two friendly countries is an acknowledgment of contribution of the Indian Army in this epic struggle that changed the lives and destiny of millions of people in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran and former Chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh Army Lt. Gen M Harun-Ar-Rashid, Bir Protik (Retd), also took part in the discussion. They spoke on the progress in Bangladesh – India relationship and reiterated the need for stronger diplomatic and defence ties between the two countries.

The seminar focused on enhancement of India-Bangladesh bilateral relations. Measures like, tourism and common culture as soft power diplomatic tools, need for improved infrastructural connectivity and economic integration were deliberated upon.

The speakers expressed the view that both the countries must work towards ensuring peace and stability in the region.

Lt. Gen M Harun-Ar-Rashid, the former Chief of Bangladesh Army and a valiant freedom fighter, underscored the need to train the armed forces with the state-of-art technology.

Later, a book titled “Bangladesh Liberation@50 Years: Bijoy’ with Synergy: India-Pakistan War 1971” was also released during the event.

The book is a mixture of historical and anecdotal accounts of the 1971 War and comprises authors from both India and Bangladesh, many who actually fought the war.

During the ‘Reflections about the War segment, Ambassador Shamsher Chowdhury (former foreign secretary of Bangladesh) shared his experience on fighting the war and being a Prisoner of War (PoW) with Pakistan Army. He also revealed the atrocities and the torture that Bangladeshi PoWs had to undergo in the hands of the Pakistani forces.

The book release was followed by award ceremony, wherein Scholar Warrior Award was awarded by the COAS to Brigadier Narender Kumar (Visiting Fellow, CLAWS) for his outstanding contribution as a warrior and in the field of research. The winners of CLAWS Field Marshal Manekshaw Essay Competition (FMMEC) were also presented awards and certificates of appreciation.