India only an ally, nothing more: Bangladesh protests PM Modi's Vijay Diwas tribute

Bangladesh interim government law adviser Asif Nazrul on Monday strongly protested against PM Narendra Modi's Vijay Diwas tribute to the Army, stating that India had no part in the 1971 victory.

Victory Day or “Bijoy Dibosh” is commemorated every year on December 16 when the Pakistan military surrendered to Indian forces and led to the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.

In a Facebook post which had the screenshot of PM Modi's post on X, Nazrul said, "Strongly protesting. 16 December 1971 was the victory day of Bangladesh. India was an ally in this victory, nothing more."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday had paid tribute to soldiers as India commemorated Vijay Diwas to mark the surrender of Pakistani forces to the Indian Army in 1971, leading to the creation of Bangladesh.

Modi said in a post on X, "Today, on Vijay Diwas, we honour the courage and sacrifices of the brave soldiers who contributed to India's historic victory in 1971. Their selfless dedication and unwavering resolve safeguarded our nation and brought glory to us."

"This day is a tribute to their extraordinary valour and their unshakable spirit. Their sacrifices will forever inspire generations and remain deeply embedded in our nation's history," he added.

Apart from Nazrul, several functionaries in the interim government shared the same sentiment.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam shared Nazrul’s post, The Daily Star newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Convener Hasnat Abdullah also criticised Modi’s post.

"This was Bangladesh's Liberation War. It was for Bangladesh's independence against Pakistan. But Modi has claimed it was solely India's war and their achievement, disregarding Bangladesh's existence in their narrative," he wrote on Facebook.

"When India claims this independence as their achievement, I see this as a threat to our independence, sovereignty and oneness. It's necessary for us to fight against this threat by India. We need to carry on this fight," he added.

Chief Adviser Yunus led Bangladesh Monday in marking the 54th Victory Day, his speech making no mention of founding leader Mujibur Rahman while calling deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration the “world’s worst autocratic government”.

Despite recent strained relations, 8 Bangladesh Muktijoddhas and two serving officers arrived and celebrated Vijay Diwas in India while 8 Indian war veterans and 2 serving officers were present in Dhaka for the same.

The celebrations in India were attended by West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, where she said, "I will never forget the role played by India and West Bengal for the Bangladesh freedom movement,, acknowledging the presence of Muktijoddhas from the neighbouring nation at the Vijay Diwas celebrations held to mark the historic victory over Pakistan.

The celebrations come amidst strained relations between New Delhi and Dhaka due to a rise in anti-India sentiment and attacks on minority Hindus since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government. Over 200 such attacks have been registered since the fall of the Awami League government on August 5.

(With DHNS and PTI inputs)