‘India-Bangladesh relations everlasting’: Mukti Joddhas on Vijay Diwas

Kolkata, Dec 16 (IANS) Relations between India and Bangladesh are everlasting and a few minor incidents will have no impact, Mukti Joddhas (freedom fighters) from the neighbouring country said during the Vijay Diwas celebrations in Kolkata on Monday.

"Those who are fomenting trouble in Bangladesh now have no knowledge of history. They do not know what we went through during the Liberation War or the support that we received from India and her armed forces. They do not know what kind of torture the people of Bangladesh went through. Some people, with little knowledge, are speaking about attacking India. Do they even realise India's military might? Hopefully, this is a passing phase and things will get back to normal soon," one of the Mukti Joddhas said.

Another one joked that one may even change his spouse, but nobody turns his face away from a friendly and helpful neighbour.

Brigadier General Md Aminur Rahman (retd), head of the delegation of Mukti Joddhas present at the Indian Army's Eastern Command headquarters in Fort William, Kolkata, said that relations between the two nations are too strongly entrenched to be disturbed.

Others said that things may not be as bad in Bangladesh as is being portrayed by those with vested interests on either side of the border. Some incidents may be taking place in certain pockets, but those would not affect the relations between the two nations that run deep.

"Much of what is being said about the situation in Bangladesh is hearsay. There are groups with vested interests on both sides. The truth is different. The relationship between our two countries and the people is not that fragile to be broken due to some isolated incidents. If relations had broken down, how are we visiting India? How is an Indian Army delegation visiting Bangladesh," said Maj Gen Abdus Salam Chaudhary (retd).

Wreaths were laid at Vijay Smarak in Fort William during the day by West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose, Lt Gen R C Tiwari, GOC-in-C, Eastern Command, several serving and retired military officers and Mukti Joddhas.

A military tatoo has been organised in the evening that is expected to be attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Vijay Diwas is celebrated on December 16 every year by the Indian Armed Forces to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 War which led to the Liberation of Bangladesh.

During the War, Indian troops (then called the Mitra Bahini) and Mukti Joddhas fought shoulder to shoulder to crush the highly oppressive Pakistan Army that went on a spree of murder and rape against the Bengali-speaking population of what was then East Pakistan.

The War ended on December 16 with the surrender of over 90,000 Pakistani troops and their collaborators.

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