Kolkata | Bangladesh will honour Indian Armed Forces personnel who were martyred in that country’s Liberation War on December 16, the day Pakistan surrendered and the country was born, its top diplomat posted in the city said Saturday.
Seventeen to 25 martyrs will be honoured on the day and their names are being finalised, Taufiq Hasan, Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner here said. “A silver plaque, certificate, speech by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two books by Bangabandhu Mujibar Rahman will be presented to the family of each martyr,” he said.
This is the second time that the honours are being presented to the families of martyrs of Indian forces who fought in the 1971 war against Pakistan in the eastern frontier. Sheikh Hasina had done the honours in 2017 in Delhi for the first time, he said. “All the martyrs of the Indian Armed forces in the eastern theatre in the 1971 war will be honoured gradually,” Hasan said.
Major General General Staff (MGGS), HQ, Eastern Command, Major General N D Prasad said that India and Bangladesh share a special relationship and the bond is strengthened by military to military exchanges through joint exercises and other activities.
“We have been working together for the greater good of the region,” he said. He said that the Army will celebrate Vijay Diwas on December 16 with usual fervour.
“A Bangladeshi delegation of 72 members, including 30 Muktijoddhas (freedom fighters) and six serving officers of Bangladesh Armed Forces will participate in the celebrations,” Maj Gen Prasad said.
An Army helicopter show, free fall by para troopers, motorcycle display, horse and dog show will be held apart from Military Band concert during the celebrations at Royal Calcutta Turf Club ground on December 14 and 15, he said.
A Military Band concert will also be held on December 13 and 14 at Princep Ghat in the city on the banks of the Hooghly river, Prasad said. The Bangladesh Deputy High Commission here will also organise a three-day ‘Vijay Utsav’ from December 16 like other years, Hasan said.
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