By Elishya Perera
DHAKA, Bangladesh (CWBN)_A high-profile Victory Day celebration was arranged on Wednesday (Dec 16), by the Bangladesh High Commission in London, which was chaired by High Commissioner Saida Muna Tasneem. Several British parliamentarians, senior officials of the UK Foreign Ministry and Indian and Bhutanese ambassadors in London graced the occasion.
The Victory Day commemorates the defeat of Pakistan in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, and the discussants paid their respect to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladeshi forces to victory.
During his address, Gareth Bayley, Director for South Asia and Afghanistan at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, said the historic photograph of Bangabandhu with British Prime Minister Edward Heath at the Bangladesh Foreign Office, symbolises the historic relations between Bangladesh and the UK, which will be celebrating its golden jubilee of diplomatic relations next year.
The parliamentarians and the diplomats also applauded PM Hasina for her bold and farsighted leadership in building a progressive, secular, modern Bangladesh.
Participating in the discussion, UK’s Trade Envoy for Bangladesh, Rushanara Ali, commended Bangladesh’s remarkable economic growth amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and its commitment towards climate action. “I came to the UK at the age of seven with my parents. I am proud of the fact that I was born in Bangladesh,” she said.
In his address, Indian High Commissioner Gaitri Issar Kumar said the “visionary statesmanship and close friendship” between PM Hasina and her Indian counterpart, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created a golden chapter in bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries. Recalling events of strong ties between India and Bangladesh over the past several decades, Kumar said the people of India like to see an ever stronger, prosperous and peaceful Bangladesh which truly reflects the ideals of Bangabandhu.
This special Victory Day celebration began with the hoisting of Bangladesh’s national flag, followed by the screening of a documentary on the liberation war of Bangladesh and a cultural event performed by expatriate artists.
