By Anil Bhat
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed’s first ever visit to, Tripura, her nation’s neighbouring Indian state sharing an 856-km border, on 11-12 January 2012, which she referred to as a pilgrimage, marked a high point in the extended celebrations of the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh’s Liberation war. She was invited by Tripura Central University for being conferred with the degree of Doctor of Literature, by for her “great contribution to the protection of multicultural democracy and peace”.
Ms Wajed, accompanied by her sister, Sheikh Rehana and an over 100-strong delegation including including External Affairs Minister Dr. Dipu Moni, some more ministers, businessmen and intellectuals, they were received at Agartala Airport by Minister of Human Resources and Development Kapil Sibal and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.
“As we touched down at Agartala airport last evening, a flush of emotions overwhelmed me as I recalled the tremendous sacrifices during our glorious struggle for independence,” said Ms Wajed, in a voice choked with emotion, after receiving the degree of from Vice President of India Hamid Ansari at Agartala on 12 January 2012. Fondly recalling the help Tripura had extended during 1971 Liberation War spearheaded by her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she further said, switching to Bengali, “I express my deep gratitude to the people of Tripura who gave us food, shelter and clothing and care when the people of our country were subject of inhuman and barbaric torture in the hands of Pakistani Army and migrated to this land…I was further amazed when I came to know that before this university was set up, this place was a training camp of the Bangladesh liberation soldiers”.
Earlier, addressing the India-Bangladesh Business Meet jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), Ms Hasina appealed to the business community of India’s Northeast to cash in on the investment friendly atmosphere in her country. Her announcement of a major path-breaking step of Bangladesh government deciding to offer access to Chittagong and Mongla sea ports for better business ties with Indian businessmen and that use of Ashuganj port is just a step away, was very well-received.
Noting that the there is a huge potential of Indian investment in Bangladesh in IT, power and healthcare, Ms. Hasina said, “Political will is there to carry forward the bilateral ties and the business community of both sides must strive to catch the opportunities”. Laying emphasis on solving all pending bilateral issues including water sharing through discussion, the Bangladesh Prime Minister said, “India being a big country must come forward with an open heart to solve all the outstanding bilateral issues. We do expect India to show more sensibility in resolving all pending issues”.
The third India-Pakistan war during December 1971 was historically significant as it liberated erstwhile Bengali East Pakistan from decades of oppression by the ruling military government of West Pakistan culminating in horrific genocide by Pakistan army and created the new nation, Bangladesh. On 25 March 1971, the liberation war was launched by the Mukti Bahini, as Pakistani soldiers aided by local collaborators, had reportedly killed an estimated 3 million people, raped 200,000 women and forced millions of people to flee to India.
Eventually, when Pakistan sparked off the war on December 3, 1971, it took only 13 days for India Army to encircle East Pakistan. On December 16, 1971, Pakistan’s eastern army commander signed the instrument of surrender at Dhaka, as 93,000 Pakistan armed forces personnel surrendered to Indian Army all over what got declared as the newly born nation of Bangladesh.
The year 2011 was marked by extended celebrations in Bangladesh, for one of which it invited 17 Indian veterans of that war, in December 2011. Simultaneously Headquaters, Eastern Command, Kolkata hosted three serving Bangladesh Army officers, 22 Mukti Joddhas (Mukti Bahini veterans) and Indian armed forces veterans, including. Bangladesh Parliament’s Deputy Speaker Shaukat Ali, former Eastern Command chief of staff Lt. Gen. (retd.) J.F.R. Jacob, former Indian Army chief and Member of Parliament, Gen. (retd.) Shankar Roychowdhury.
16 December, instituted as Vijay Divas after the 1999 Kargil war, was observed in New Delhi by the Defence Minister and the three Services Chiefs laying wreaths at Amar Jawan Jyoti under the arch of India Gate. Whereas India Gate is a memorial made by the British to honour the memory of Indian Army soldiers killed in World War I, in Kolkata, Dhaka and many other military stations in India and Bangladesh, Vijay Divas was celebrated befittingly at larger scales, with tributes paid at many other memorials. Maj Gen Ian Cardozo, VrC, who headed the Indian war veterans delegation to Bangladesh, speaking to this writer said: “ We visited two National War Memorials and we were told that there were many more in the districts where major battles were fought. This is in stark contrast to our own country where we are yet to have a National War memorial for soldiers who died in all the wars that we have fought since Independence. They also have a War Museum which we visited which has well documented accounts of the war of liberation but mostly of their own Mukti Bahini.”
In this war Maj Gen Cardozo, 4/5 Gorkha Rifles, who got his leg blown up in a minefield, amputated it himself with a khukhri since there was no medical aid available. The visit is best described by him and Col SS Chowdhry, SM, who also interacted with this writer.
Col Chowdhry: “The 6 days trip was exhilarating, nostalgic… with very warm hospitality and touching gratitude. The President, the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, State Minister, Ministry of Liberation War and the three Services Chiefs took turns to host the delegtion. Plenty of visits to various battle locations, meeting old Mukti Bahini Joddhas and many delightful cultural programs made the six days seem too short. Over all, it was a great once in a lifetime experience”.
Maj Gen Cardozo further elaborated: “The Government of Bangladesh and its armed forces went out of their way to treat us as their honoured guests…they have a lot of love and regard for the Indian Government and its people….Mrs. Indira Gandhi is held in great respect and reverence for her courage and the manner she led India during those troubled times and the way she came to the rescue of a beleaguered neighbor….I was asked to address various gatherings and I said that forty years ago India and the people of what is now Bangladesh and their fearless Mukti Bahini shared a common destiny- for them to free their beloved country from the stranglehold of West Pakistan and of India to help a friend achieve that aim. I recalled that many sacrifices were made by Indian soldiers and Mukti Bahini and it was on the altar of these sacrifices that freedom was won in a brief war of thirteen days-just as well-before the US or China could interfere and before the UN could enforce a ceasefire….Great battles were fought by the
Indian soldiers and the Mukti Bahini shoulder to shoulder and by the Indian Navy and Air Force. The Mukti Bahini were a great force as was evident by the damage done at Chittagong and Khulna ports by Indian Naval commandoes and the Mukti Bahini frogmen….Wherever we went we were told by strangers that without India’s help the liberation would never have happened so quickly and the sacrifice by the Indian armed forces was greatly appreciated…..We attended a reception hosted by the President of Bangladesh and this was an occasion where the Prime Minister was able to personally thank us for all that we did so many years ago”.
The ceremonies at Kolkata included solemn tributes at Vijay Smarak to those martyred in the war, an all-faith prayer meeting was organised at the venue while two helicopters showered rose petals on the martyr’s column and the release of ‘Race to Dhaka ’, a pictorial book depicting the 1971 Bangladesh liberation. “Our defeat in the Chinese war had downed the morale not only of the forces but also of the whole country. But this victory enabled India to stand firmly and confidently on her feet. Since then we are totally confident,” said Gen Roychowdhury. Mr. Shaukat Ali praised India for its efforts and said his country will always remain grateful for the gesture. “India stood beside us for humanity. We shall always remember this gesture… I would give 100 percent credit to India for the liberation of Bangladesh. We gained Independence but India fought for it. Can this contribution be belittled’” said Ali. “We are grateful to India since 1971 and we will continue to be so. The Indian army stood beside us and together we marched to victory and independence,” said Ashrafdaula, a Mukti Joddha who lost one of his legs in the war. A five day cultural fest held at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission at Kolkata saw renowned cultural artistes from both sides of the border regaling audiences. Apart from the classic Bengali folk music to rock music, the guests also savoured delicious Bangladeshi cuisine. “Podda Illish”, the famous Hilsa fish from the Padma River has always been acclaimed as far tastier than its Hoogly counterpart.
GOC-in-C Eastern Command Lt Gen Bikram Singh conveyed to this writer that the interaction between the Indian and Bangladeshi veterans and serving officers covering tactical details about this war was indeed professionally beneficial.
In May 2011, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA, New Delhi) and Bangladesh Heritage Foundation (Dhaka) held a three day dialogue in Tripura which holds special significance with reference to the events of December 1971 and the Bangladesh Liberation War. As is well known, the first Bangladesh government in exile was formed in Agartala, apart from the first Bangladesh Radio office being set up there.The Bangladeshi delegation expressed their gratitude about the sacrifice that India and Indian soldiers made to ensure independence of Bangladesh and also reminisced the importance of Tripura in that historic event. The delegation visited the Bharat-Bangladesh Maitree Udyan park, Chottakhola, Belonia, a border town 130 kms from Agartala and one of the base camps of the Mukti Bahini, from where they launched the war against Pakistani troops in Noakhali, Feni and parts of Comilla districts. A museum showcasing the arms and ammunitions used in the war, photographs, literature and newspapers from that period has been planned.
With all that Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government has done to renew and revive old ties severely damaged by the pro-Pakistan Bangladesh Nationalist Party during its tenure, particularly against terrorism, New Delhi must maintain the momentum of cooperation in all fields for mutual benefit, especially Bangladesh and India’s North Eastern region.
