New Delhi: Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Thursday left for Bangladesh on a five-day visit to further expand cooperation and coordination between the two countries on a host of strategic issues. The visit comes less than two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to the neighbouring country.
On Thursday, Gen Naravane will pay tributes to the fallen heroes of the Bangladesh liberation war and it will be followed by one-on-one meetings with the three service chiefs, officials said. The Army chief will also interact with Bangladesh's foreign minister on April 11. "This visit from April 8 to 12 will further deepen the bilateral relationships between the two armies and act as a catalyst for closer coordination and cooperation between the two countries on a host of strategic issues," Army Spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said.
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The year 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In reflection of close ties, India is also hosting a number of events to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1971 war that led to the liberation of Bangladesh. Around 93,000 Pakistani troops had surrendered before the joint forces of the Indian Army and the "Mukti Bahini" on December 16, 1971, that paved way for the birth of Bangladesh.