India-Bangladesh Bonhomie at 50: 1971 and the Present

For Bangladesh and India, the past year has been about celebrating 50 years of Bangladesh and commemorating the iconic event, the Liberation War of Bangladesh, one that irreversibly changed the political landscape of South Asia.

While much scholarly work and detailed research were undertaken and many publications and books were released over the past two years, the question remained as to how many of subsequent generations were aware of this cataclysmic event and India’s defining role in it? The Liberation War of Bangladesh is not only integral to Bangladesh but also formed the core underpinning of India- Bangladesh partnership.

This book is a ready reckoner about the Bangladesh Liberation War from the Indian perspective, given the challenges in unearthing new information from official archives. It once again reiterates especially through the narrative of the brave soldiers that while the official war was fought between 3 -16 December 1971, many were already engaged in various sectors training the Bangladeshis who had joined the movement from a cross section of the society. Undoubtedly the Indian defence force was the bulwark of support that ensured the victory for Bangladesh but entire India in various capacities rallied around to support the cause for liberation of Bangladesh.