Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Bangladesh acknowledges sacrifice of Indian soldiers in 1971 War

Four decades after Bangladesh came into being as an Independent Nation, the country formally recognized the role played by the Indian Armed Forces during the Bangladesh 1971 Liberation War. At a glittering function in capital Dhaka Bangladesh President Mohd. Zillur Rahman, in the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, conferred an award on the Indian Defence Minister on behalf of the Indian Armed Forces. 

The award was received by the Minister of State for Defence Dr. MM Pallam Raju during at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center. The award consists of a gold-plated silver metallic plaque bearing a replica of the National Mausoleum and a citation on a silk cloth. It is a formal recognition by the Government of Bangladesh of the supreme sacrifice made by about 1,400 Indian Armed Forces personnel during Bangladesh’s nine-month long Liberation War.

The award was recommended by a National Committee constituted by the Government of Bangladesh under Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni and consisting of State Minister for Liberation War Affairs M. Tajul Islam to honour the foreign friends who had assisted Bangladesh in its Liberation War. 

Indian and Bangladesh Forces were put under a Joint Command structure, led by Lt. General Jagjit Singh Aurora, and this force came to be known as the ‘Mitra Bahini’, says the Committee’s note, adding that this alliance of the Indian Army and Bangladesh Forces engaged the Pakistani Forces in December, 1971 and was instrumental in the defeat of the Pakistan Army which surrendered on December 16, 1971, a few days after the formal declaration of War.

Pallam Raju, who is on two-day visit to Dhaka, also represented India at the Bangladesh Independence and National Day celebrations in the capital today. It was on this day in 1971 the Bangladesh’ Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Independence.

The Government of Bangladesh is conferring awards on 110 foreign nationals and organizations tomorrow for their contribution to the country’s Liberation War, including Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar. In the first phase Sonia Gandhi received the Bangladesh Freedom Honour awarded to former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at a function in Dhaka on July 25 last year.

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