Bangladesh to build memorial as tribute to Indian soldiers martyred in 1971 war

New Delhi: After felicitating Indian soldiers who were martyred in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, the Bangladesh government is now building a war memorial in Chittagong’s Bhramanbaria to pay homage to Indian soldiers. 

While a National Martyr’s Memorial exists in the capital city of Dhaka to pay homage to those martyrs who laid down their lives in liberating Bangladesh, a separate war memorial is being built that will be dedicated to Indian soldiers only. 

On the sidelines of the 47th Vijay Diwas celebrations at the Army Eastern Command Headquarters in Kolkata, the Bangladesh Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Muzzamel Huq said, “We are going to lay the foundation stone for Indian soldiers at Bhramanbaria in Chittagong by May-June next year. This memorial will be dedicated to Indian soldiers only. The area has been identified and over the next few months, we will be able to hold a stone laying ceremony.”

Huq added, “Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be present at the stone laying ceremony next year. While we are yet to prepare the guest list, but we will be more than happy to host the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the ceremony.”

On the other hand, Quazi Rosy, Member of Parliament, Bangladesh was of the opinion that this war memorial for Indian soldiers will further strengthen ties. 

“We peacefully resolved the Land Boundary Agreement, we have managed to establish rail and road links. We wanted to pay our respects to those fallen soldiers without whom we wouldn’t have been liberated and the best way is to honour them on our own soil through a war memorial. This further strengthens ties between the two nations,” said Rosy. 

On Sunday, in a joint ceremony organised by the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission and Army Eastern Command, the Bangladesh government felicitated 12 family members of Indian soldiers martyred in the Bangladesh Liberation War – seven martyrs from the Indian Army, one from the Navy, two from the Air Force and two from the BSF.