Modi Arrives in Dhaka for 50th Anniversary of Bangladesh Liberation War

NEW DELHI (Sputnik) - Indian PM Narendra Modi has arrived in the capital of Bangladesh, on his first official visit since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the country's war of independence from Pakistan and establishment of diplomatic ties with New Delhi, the Indian Exterior Affairs Ministry said.

"Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi arrived in Dhaka for his visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This is the historic visit to celebrate Mujib Borsho - the birth centenary of [the first president of the country] Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh; and 50 years of Bangladesh's war of liberation", the ministry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, Modi was welcomed by his Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, and her cabinet at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The Indian prime minister was also met with a 19-gun salute and an honour guard.

National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar, a tribute to the martyrs of the Bangladesh Independence War

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Azim Khan Ronnie / National Martyrs’ Memorial, Dhaka

Bangladesh celebrates its Independence Day on 26 March, the day East Pakistan, which formed a single country with Pakistan at the time, launched its 1971 campaign for liberation and seceded as Bangladesh in December of the same year.

India played a vital role in the conflict, entering into a military confirmation with Pakistan that resulted in both sides signing the Pakistani Instrument of Surrender on 16 December 1971, which ended the war and paved the way to independent Bangladesh.