India today joined Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman�s birth centenary and golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh as its President Ram Nath Kovind attended a national event with his counterpart M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
�In the history of over thousand years, the people of this soil did not have any nation state despite exploitations, oppressions . . . the Bengalis snatched the great victory on this day in 1971 after long nine months of war,� President Hamid said.
He added: �And behind this victory, the man who gave the constant leadership and guidance, is our Father of the Nation, the greatest Bengali of all times, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.�
The president also paid rich tributes to the Liberation War martyrs and veterans saying Bangladesh�s independence was the outcome of immense sacrifices of millions while �we became an independent nation after a blood-spattered war�.
Kovind, on the other hand, congratulated Bangladeshis on the occasion of Victory Day saying �50 years ago, the ideological map of South Asia changed irreversibly and the proud nation of Bangladesh was born�.
He said Bangabandhu�s �inspiring statesmanship, his clear-sighted moral conviction and his unflinching determination to seek justice for the people of East Pakistan were truly the �game-changers� 50 years ago.
Kovind recalled that being a youth he too was inspired by the �moral courage of Bangabandhu� and �like millions of others, I was electrified by his powerful voice, and the understanding that it carried the aspirations of 70 million people of Bangladesh at that time�.
�Like millions of Indians of my generation, we were elated by the victory of Bangladesh over an oppressive regime and were deeply inspired by the faith and courage of the people of Bangladesh,� he said.
�(But) indeed, seldom has humanity witnessed sacrifices on a scale so epic as during the 1971 War of Liberation. Your struggle for freedom has a special place in the hearts of every Indian, especially those of my generation,� he said.
History, he said, also had few examples to �equal the scale of empathy and grass-roots-level support that your struggle evoked in India (as Indian) people spontaneously opened their hearts and homes to offer all possible support to the people of Bangladesh�.
A little over 50 years ago, Kovind said, the vision of an independent Bangladesh inspired millions but �it seemed a remote and impossible dream then to naysayers, skeptics and detractors.
He recalled that the international context and realpolitik seemed to rule out the prospects of Bangladesh�s liberation, defeating a �brutal, determined and well-armed foe who would stop at nothing�.
Kovind Bangladesh�s eventual independence simultaneously gave the world a �valuable lesson that the will of the majority of people cannot be subjugated by any force, however brutal�.
Sheikh Hasina chaired the closing of the two-day function titled �the greatest hero of the glorious victory� while the Bangladesh president joined as the chief guest the event at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangad.
Bangladesh and India this year also celebrated their 50 years of relationship as the New Delhi appeared as the second but most important country to recognize Bangladesh followed by Bhutan.
�I recall with deep appreciation the unstinting moral and material support that the political leaders and people of India extended to Bangladesh during our War of Liberation,� the Bangladesh president said.
He added: �(Simultaneously) I remember with profound respect the heroes of Indian armed forces who sacrificed their lives in our great Liberation War.�
The Indian president said India remained committed to assist Dhaka in realizing the full benefits of bilateral ties as the two countries celebrates 50 years of ties alongside the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh�s 1971 independence.
�History will always bear witness to this unique foundation of our friendship, forged in the people�s war that liberated Bangladesh,� he said.
Kovind added that India always attached highest priority to its friendship with Bangladesh while �we remain committed to doing all we can, to help realize full potential of our friendship�.
He said the first 50 years of bilateral partnership began by surmounting extraordinary challenges that forged a deep friendship between the two people, while �perhaps the time has come to raise the bar even higher�.
He said Bangladesh�s �stellar economic performance� complemented by geographical advantage can benefit the entire sub-region and beyond world.
Kovind close sub-regional trade, economic cooperation and connectivity would help accelerate the process of achieving Bangladesh�s dream for a �Shonar Bangla� or �Golden Bengal� in the shortest possible period of time.
He also asked businesses of both the countries to be encouraged to realize the vision of deeply-integrated supply chains of production and transport connectivity, �enabling our sub-region to become one of the world�s largest production centres, and the world�s largest market for goods and services�.
Kovind also appreciated Bangladesh�s progress under Sheikh Hasina�s leadership adding that the �hard working� Bangladeshis today were realizing Bangabandhu�s dreams which was reflected in the country�s economic growth.
�To achieve that, our businesses, our academics and especially our youth must be motivated to jointly create globally-pioneering initiatives in the world of ideas, creativity, commerce and technology,� he said.
The Bangladesh president expressed his gratitude to his counterpart for joining the celebrations in Dhaka marking Bangabandhu�s birth centenary and golden jubilee of Independence.
Hamid said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attended the opening of the birth centenary and golden jubilee celebrations in person in March this year and �I hope that the visit of the Hon'ble President of India will further strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries�.
�The relationship between the two countries, which started in 1971 during the War of Liberation, has now reached a new height,� he said.
Sheikh Hasina also extended her gratitude to the visiting Indian President for joining the celebrations �on the day of our glory as the guest of honour�.
The premier described the birth centenary and golden jubilee not mere festivals but also a way to materialize Bangabandhu�s dream to build a hunger and poverty-free prosperous and developed Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina said that Bangladesh is a secular state and the people of all faiths in the country can perform their religious rituals with equal rights.
"We have already ensured performing of religious rituals by the people of all faiths with equal rights," she added.
The prime minister said that her government has been continuing the wheels of the country following the foreign policy adopted by Bangabandhu, "Friendship to all and malice to none" and the footprints set by him regarding economic progress.
Bangabandhu�s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana was present on the dais along with parliamentary Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque.
Chief Coordinator of the National Implementation Committee for Celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Birth Centenary Celebration Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.