Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said the fraternity and harmony between Bangladesh and India are written with the letters of blood and the friendship is inseparable.
The contribution of India to the emergence of Bangladesh will be written in golden letters till the existence of the country (Bangladesh). The fraternity and harmony between Bangladesh and India are written with the letters of blood and the friendship is inseparable," he said.
The minister stated these while addressing a discussion titled 'Bangabandhu, Liberation War, Bangladesh and India's Role' organised by Bangladesh-India Sampriti Parishad at an auditorium of Jatiya Press Club.
Former ambassador and Freedom Fighter (FF) Professor Dr Nim Chandra Bhowmik, Shwadhin Bangla Betar Kendra singer Monoranjan Ghoshal, FF Md Salauddin and FF Rafiq Talukder, among others, addressed the discussion with the organization president FF Professor Dr Md Fazle Ali in the chair. Its
secretary-general FF Mamtaz Hossain Chowdhury conducted the event.
Hasan said it was not possible to achieve the freedom of Bangladesh within nine months without the cooperation of India in 1971. "About one crore people took shelter in India and the neighbouring country took arrangements for providing training to the freedom fighters," he added.
Later, he said, the Indian armed forces fought against Pakistani occupations along with the freedom fighters after formally declaring war against Pakistan. Hundreds of members of the Indian armed forces were martyred during the war along with freedom fighters for the cause of independence of Bangladesh, he added.
"So, the fraternity and harmony between Bangladesh and India are written by the letters of blood," said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.
Remembering the outstanding contribution of the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the minister said she (Indira Gandhi) had visited across the world to free Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and create awareness in favour of Bangladesh's independence.
He said all Indian people including artists, literary, politicians, and players were in favour of Bangladesh and they collected money from many cities for refugees.
The minister said the friendship of the two countries has reached a new height under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. "India always stood beside any disaster of ours. We also stood beside India as per our ability," he added.
But, he said, some political parties, including BNP, are trying to deny the contribution of India and gave anti-Indian statements. The main motive of those parties is anti-India and the statements usually increase during the polls, he added.
He said the politicians, who give statements against India in front of the Press Club and Naya Paltan and on TVs, also go to the Iftar party of the Indian High Commission. Hasan hoped that their ill politics will be stopped.
Source: BSS
