By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh has for the first time sent three serving army officers, on an invitation from India, to participate in the Victory Day celebrations in Kolkata to mark the surrender of Pakistani forces in 1971.
Tuesday is Bangladesh’s “Bijoy Diwas”, the victory of the joint India-Bangladesh forces, before whom 93,000 officers and men of the Pakistan Army surrendered.
The delegation comprising three serving officers along with their spouses and 14 freedom fighters has been invited to attend the four-day programme in Kolkata.
Maj. Gen. Muhammed Maswood and Maj. Gen. (retd) Jamiluddin Ahsan of the Bangladesh Army are leading the team, the New Age newspaper reported.
In addition to laying wreaths at the war memorial Vijay Smarak by Maswood and Ahsan, the Bangladeshi delegation will attend various functions in Kolkata.
Indian veterans of the 1971 war as well as various civilian and military dignitaries will also attend the annual celebrations.
The decision to send serving officers for the first time comes nine months after Dhaka received on its Independence Day in March a team of Indian war heroes led by Lt. Gen. (retd) J.F.R. Jacob, who had planned the entire campaign in 1971.