50 Years of India Bangladesh Relations:
Commemorating 50 years of the 1971 India-Pakistan war that led to the liberation of Bangladesh, a 122-member contingent of the Bangladesh Armed Forces has recently participated in the 72nd Republic Day parade.
- This year, India and Bangladesh are also celebrating 50 years of the establishment of their ties.
- This is the third time the Republic Day parade in India has witnessed the participation of a military contingent from abroad.
- Previously French troops marched in 2016 and UAE troops in 2017.
- Bangladesh War of Independence: Vijay Diwas is observed on 16th December every year to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war.
- The Government of India, on 3rd December 1971, declared that it would go for war with Pakistan to save Bengali Muslims and Hindus.
- This war was fought between India and Pakistan for 13 days.
- On 16th December 1971, the chief of the Pakistani forces with 93,000 soldiers had surrendered unconditionally to the allied forces consisting of the Indian Army and Mukti Bahini in Dhaka.
- Mukti Bahini refers to the armed organizations that fought against the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
- It was a guerrilla resistance movement.
- Bangladesh was born on this day. Hence, Bangladesh celebrates its independence day (Bijoy Dibos) on 16th December every year.
