Indian war veterans, who fought shoulder to shoulder with Bangladeshi freedom fighters during the 1971 Liberation War, want prosperity and growth of the country. “India will always remain an ally of Bangladesh. After all, Indians helped Bangladeshis earn their independence by shedding their blood in 1971,” Lt. Gen. (retd) GS Sihota said at an interaction with the media at Kurmitola Golf Club in the city yesterday.
Private television channel Ekattor Television and the Indian high commission in Bangladesh had jointly organised the media interaction with Indian war veterans. Lt. Gen. Sihota is leading a 28-member delegation, including war veterans’ spouses, in Dhaka. The team arrived on Wednesday.
They have been invited by the Bangladeshi government to attend Victory Day celebrations today. Of the 28 Indian war veterans, five briefly recalled their memories of combat alongside the Bangladeshi freedom fighters (Muktibahini) during the Liberation War. Brig. Bhanot Madan Mohan, who had fought in Chittagong alongside the Muktibahini in 1971, said the selfless sacrifice of Indians helped bring Independence to Bangladesh by forcing the Pakistani retreat.
“We were always together,” he said, expressing his “heartfelt gratitude” to the Bangladeshi people for remembering them. Former chief of the Bangladesh Army, Lt. Gen. M Harun-Ar-Rashid, and his comrade, Col. Mandettira Mandappa Ravi, also shared their memories of the war days. They had both fought under sector commander Maj. Khaled Musharraf in 1971. Among others, railways minister Mujibul Haque, former foreign minister Dr Dipu Moni, chief editor of Ekattor Television, Mozammel Haque Babu, Mehjabin MP, daughter of sector commander Maj. Gen. Khaled Musharraf, and defence attaché of the Indian high commission in Bangladesh, Brig. JS Nanda, also spoke at the media interaction.