DHAKA, Dec 15, 2017 (BSS) – Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque today said Bangladesh and India bled together to liberate Bangladesh from the Pakistani occupation forces in the 1971 Liberation War.
“Bangladesh and India have relations of blood. The allied force of
Bangladesh and India fought and bled together, and sacrifices their lives in the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971,” he told a function titled “Interaction with Indian War Veterans” organised by Indian High Commission in Dhaka at the National Museum.
A book titled “12 Days to Dacca” written by Major General HS Kler of India and edited by his son Wing Commander (retd) Deejay Kler of IFS, was unveiled on the occasion. Both Bangla and English versions of the book were unveiled today while the English version came to market in Bangladesh earlier after its unveiling held in India.
Deejay Kler along with his wife, son and grandchildren attended the
function and shared his memories of the war.
Brig HS Kler was the commanding officer of 95 mountain brigade of Indian army during the Liberation War and his son Deejay who was the then a flying officer of the Indian Air Force (IAF) also took part in the war. HS Kler died in 2016.
Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka Dr. Adarsh Swaika was present on the occasion while over 10 Indian War veterans along with Bangladeshi Freedom Fighters shared their memories of the Liberation War on the occasion.
Mozammel Haque said “We are indebted to the Indian people, its government, the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Indian armed forces who gave shelter, training and logistic support and encouragement to fight against the Pakistani occupation forces.”
He said there is no artificiality in the Bangladesh-India relations and “We are making our efforts to further strengthen the relations.”
Mozammel said India irrespective of party affiliation and gave Bangladesh enormous support to mobilize campaign in international arena for the rights of Bangladesh’s people.
He said Indian former premier and BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee had played an important role for Bangladesh independence from Pakistan in 1971 when he was a Lok Sabha member.
From the very beginning of the Liberation War, he (Vajpayee) took a firm stand in favour of Bangladesh’s independence, he added.
Mozammel thoroughly highlighted different aspects of the glorious
Liberation War and the role of India to help Bangladesh archive Independent from Pakistan and different conspiracy, oppression and torture of Pakistanis on the people of this region in the 23 years between 1947’s Partisan of Indian subcontinent and 1971 Liberation War. .
The minister said Pakistanis had hatched conspiracy to create anti-Indian sentiment among people aiming to repress the people of this region before the Liberation War.
Sharing his memoirs Liberation War, former State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Capt (retd) AB Tajul Islam said Pakistan always engage all her resources to create problem in other country instead of improving the economic condition of her own people.
“Whereas Indian army, who supported us during Liberation War, they had a very noble cause. Because, people of Bangladesh were fighting for Liberation and they came here not to conquer Bangladesh but to support the freedom fighters to accelerate the process to that we get Liberation,” he added.