Raj Dutta

50^th VICTORY DAY CELEBRATIONS OF BANGLADESH

Never since antiquity, in the history of mankind, a new nation was born resulting from a War between two nations. The jointmanship of the three brave Armed Forces of India together with Mukti-Bahini had written a Chapter of Glory and Valour, to be remembered in footprints of time for the future generations. The attack on Karachi (OP Trident and Python) on the western Seaboard, the attack on Dacca, Chittagong, Khulna, Cox Bazar and Mongla by the Seahawks from Vikrant, The stealth attack by the daredevils of Muktibahini trained for Operation X by Late Capt MN Samant, MVC and his team, the joint attack by the valiant Indian Air Force’s precision bombing and the charged up Army advancing through the Padma and Meghna fronts and the Bangladesh terrain, closing in from all directions into Dhaka… resulted in the surrender of the 95,000 Pak, 49 years ago… resulted in the birth of a new Nation… “B-A-N-G-L-A-D-E-S-H”. A great Day for Sam Bahadur, Indira Gandhi and Shaikh Mujibur Rahman.

PRELUDE
A week prior to Vijay Diwas, the Dep High Commissioner of Bangladesh Mr Md Lutfor Rahman called up Cdr Vijay Vadhera, President NFMC inviting the Veterans, who had participated in the Indo-Pak War, for their 50th Victory Day celebrations programmed on 16 Dec 2020 at Taj President, Cuff Parade Colaba, by the Bangladesh Consulate. The later broadcast a WhatsApp message to the NFMC members requesting for names. The list was forwarded to Mr Rahman, but unfortunately Cdr Vadhera had to be hospitalised for Gall bladder complications and requested Cdr Raj Dutta, Secy NFMC to represent him at the Bangladesh Day celebrations

I called up Mr Rahman and promptly he WhatsAppéd me the invite for the Taj function together with Time line of the celebrations. I and other Veterans attending got in touch with Mr Azhar Mallam, the Protocol Asst and responded RSVP.

THE PROGRAMME

At this point of time, it would be prudent for us to get acquainted with the impressive profile Mr Md Lutfor Rahman is blessed with.

Mr. Md. Lutfor Rahman was born in Thakurgaon, Bangladesh on 16 October, 1970. He grduated from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in 1995. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Gvoernment of Bangladesh in Febraury, 1998. He served in the Headquarters for 2 years as Assistant Secretary in different sections. He was posted to Bangladesh Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2000 and continued to serve till September, 2004. He then served as First Secretary for two years in Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Karachi, Pakistan. Mr. Rahman returned to the Headquaters and assumed the charge as Director in Febraury, 2007. After serving for 02 years in Dhaka, Mr. Rahman joined Bangladesh Mission in Riydh, Saudi Arabia as Counsellor. After a rather short stint, he was posted to Bangladesh Embassy in Rabat, Morocco as Chrge d’Affaires ad interim in 2010. Upon completion of his tenure of 04 years, he came back to Headquaters in September, 2014 and was promoted to the rank of Director General. He led the Consular and Welfare Wing and the External Publicity Wing respectively before being posted to Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Mumbai. His hobbies are reading books watching Sports & movies. He is primarily interested in literature, mythology and Development Economics. Mr. Rahman is married and blessed with two children.

Md Lutfor Rahman with Governor of Mah

H.E. Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari

16 Dec 2020- VIJAY DIWAS

It was a fine cloudy morning when Meena and I left our Borivali home in our Tata Manza at 0730 hrs for the Golden Jubilee of Victory Day celebration of our eastern Friend scheduled at 11 AM. After a comfortable long drive, we wheeled into Taj President, Cuff Parade. It was a coincidence that we and Mr Rehman with his beautiful Lady Shehnaz stepped in together. Being the early birds, Meena was ecstatic, getting herself clicked against the dazzling Décor set for the occasion in the Ballroom. The arrival of the cheerful guests in the Banquet Hall made the fascinating environment even more buoyant. The bliss of interacting with like-minded Veterans is Priceless and evident during such an effervescent gathering, made even more ecstatic due to everyone having being home quarantined this year due to ‘Miss pandemic’. It was a pleasure for the august gathering of Veterans and spouses to interact over a cup of Tea, before being ushered into the Main hall for the formal function. The Banquet hall was abuzz with distinguished Veterans : Lt.Gen KS Brar (Blue Star fame), Maj.Gen Soli Pavri, Maj Uday Sathe from Pune, Veer Naris Dr Geeta Kasturi & Dr Shreelatha Banger, Cmde & Mrs Mike Bhada, Cmde & Mrs Suresh Kumar, Cmde & Mrs Ajay Chitnis from Pune, Cmde NN Rao, Cdr & Mrs SK Jana, Cdr Shailendra Sharma, Cdr & Mrs DK Bose (Spl in Av Med), LtCdr & Mrs Darshan Singh.

The Ball room center stage was adorned with a large backdrop of revered Bangabandhu ‘Shaikh Mujibur Rahman’ on whose memory the Golden Jubilee year is dedicated ‘Mujib Year’s Diplomacy: Friendship & Prosperity’. The sacred corner on the left of stage was dedicated for the frames of Bangabandhu Mujib, PM Shaikh Hasina and President Mr Abdul Hamid. The presentation screen and the acoustics corner was to the right.

THE CENTRE STAGE BACKDROP

THE SACRED CORNER

PROCEEDINGS

After the distinguished guests were seated Ms Nafisa Monsur, the beautiful Mistress of Ceremony with a sweet voice, welcomed the gathering and requested the Senior Veterans to join in for the wreath laying at the sacred corner followed by the Flag hoisting (Pics below). She then called on stage the Dep High Commissioner, Mr Rahman to commence the proceedings by reading out the messages from Bangladesh PM Mrs Shaikh Hasina, President Mr Abdul Hamid and the messages from the Minister of Foreign Affairs. She then welcomed on stage the Senior Gallantry Legend of the 1971 War, LtGen KS Brar, PVSM, AVSM, VrC to recount his memories of 1971. The Gen very effectively delivered his mesmerising talk and experience of the War, when he was the commander of MLI battalion and with the first batch of troops stormed into Dhaka on the morning of 16^th Dec ’71. During the War his battalion was pitted against the 31st Baluch of the Pakistani Army. The Baluch Regiment launched continuous attacks against his battalion. His soldiers had to move across the river Brahmaputra, at a location where no bridges existed. Therefore, they were able to carry only limited weapons on a man-pack basis. Brar moved from company to company in the midst of the battle, motivating his soldiers to continue the fight. He was awarded the Vir Chakra for the battle fought at Jamalpur on the night of 10 December.

I was the next speaker and elaborated on the jointmanship of the Indian forces on two fronts very effectively to be Victorious in a 13 day War. Mentioned about the strategic partnership of Russia in keeping the 7^th Fleet at bay, away from the Bay of Bengal. On behalf of the President NFMC it was my honour and privilege to present our NFMC memento to excellency Mr Md Lutfor Rahman. Cmde Mike Bhada, the next orator spoke on his Vikrant Carrier operations during the War, deployed in the Bay of Bengal. He lauded the contribution of the MDL and the Navy in fulfilling his dream of erecting a small Vikrant memorial opposite the Lion’s gate before presenting a small elegant memento to Mr Rahman on the occasion of their 50^th Victory Day.

The next speaker Senior Veteran Maj Sathe spoke on his Gurkha Battalions valiant advance through the hilly enemy terrain. His close-armed combat with a taller enemy soldier with a khukri, resulting in enemy soldier’s kill. His ethos of saluting the dying enemy soldier epitomised humane sentiments of respect for soldiers the world over.

The last speaker Dr Vaishali Rama Wade, Professor Somaiya Institute of Engr & IT, spoke on her organisation’s innovative research on Robotics for delivery of medical treatment to Covid patients.

After the talks the Dep High Commissioner felicitated the speakers with beautifully embroidered Shawls on stage and delivered a Vote of Thanks. He prayed for an everlasting friendship between the two brotherly Nations with continued benefits of mutual growth, envisioning the dream of Bangabandhu and in keeping with the Golden Jubilee motto ‘Mujib Year’s Diplomacy: Friendship & Prosperity’.

The guests were then escorted to the Banquet Hall for the exquisite Lunch and merriment, where everyone recalled their times of the era 49 yrs ago. It was a joyous gathering of Veterans after almost 9 months of lockdown due to Miss Pandemic, albeit amidst conscious precautions to keep CV at bay.

Meena and I were the last few to thank and bid farewell to Mr Lutfor Rehman and his good lady Mrs Shehnaz. As we wheeled out of Taj, we smilingly recalled our childhood days of that era and saluted the Veterans and martyrs of India and the Mukti-bahini who fought valiantly and brought Glory to our great Nation and to the new Nation Bangladesh.

Happy Bijoy Diwas !

Jai Bongla !

Jai Hind !