Indo-Bangla ties deeper than any strategic alliance: Shringla

BENGALURU: Foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Saturday said the ties between India and Bangladesh were deeper than any other strategic partnership, and that it was a role model for nations that share borders.
Shringla, who was scheduled to speak at the conclave celebrating the golden jubilee of the 1971 Indo-Pak war victory at the Air Force station-Yelahanka here, shared a virtual video statement, in which he said, “India-Bangladesh relations have matured over the years and the two pillars of Indian diplomacy — ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ — find expression in our vibrant ties with Bangladesh.”
Quoting PM Narendra Modi, Shringla said 2021 marks the triveni of events that have epochal significance — the golden jubilee of the liberation of Bangladesh; the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
“The fact that Modi’s first foreign visit since the pandemic was to Dhaka at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to commemorate the golden jubilee is testimony to the highest priorities the countries attach to the relationship,” he said. He added that India and Bangladesh today share a Sonali Adhyay, or golden chapter, in a relationship geared towards bringing stability and prosperity to people on both sides.
Bangladesh’s decision to establish a memorial in remembrance of the sacrifices made by members of the Indian armed forces in 1971, he said, was a key step towards preserving this history of shared sacrifice. “India-Bangladesh relations today, in many ways, are a continuation of the events that defined the course of history 50 years ago,” he said.
Recollecting the events from 50 years ago, he said it was as much a moral and political victory, as it was a decisive military victory. “1971 was a war for justice over crude tyranny, a quest for hope in the midst of despair, and a catharsis achieved through dharma yudh,” he said. He said never before in the recent history of our region has humanity ever witnessed an act of calculated genocide.