Bangladesh consul general in Toronto also joins in celebrations
The Canadian Bazaar
TORONTO: Ontario-based veterans of the Indian armed forces who took part in the 1971 war with Pakistan were honoured by Indian consul general Apoorva Srivastava at a ceremony at the consulate on December 17, marking the golden jubilee – 50th anniversary – of the war.
The day is celebrated as Vijay Divas.
Toronto-based Bangladesh consul general Nayem Uddin Ahmed also joined in the celebrations ceremony.
The Indian consul general hailed the role played by the Indian veterans in the war.
The Bangladesh consul general thanked India for its support in the liberation of his country. He said India and his country were one before 1947.
Highlighting the similarities between the two countries, he said India and Bangladesh should have an open border, just like the US and Canada.
Brig Nawab Heer, who is the chairman of the Veterans Association of Ontario, and other veterans recalled their experiences of the war.
Brig Heer, who was a young second-lieutenant then, recalled how he and his men trained Mukti Bahini and then shifted to Poonch on the western front just before the start of the war.
Colonel Vijay Dutt, who commanded a unit in the Bangladesh war, also shared his experiences of the battlefield while working with Mukti Bahini.
The 20-odd veterans present on the occasion also included Major General NJS Sidhu who was part of the aviation unit supporting the Indian troops in the Bangladesh war.
