The Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) have been jointly organising a series of events to mark the 50th Year of Independence of Bangladesh and to showcase BSF’s contribution in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

As part of the golden jubilee celebrations, a “Joint Cultural Programme” was organised on Monday at the Integrated Check Post in Dawki in Meghalaya frontier of the BSF.

A BSF official said the purpose of organising all such joint events is to remember “Mukti Yoddhas” (freedom fighters) of both the countries who valiantly fought for the “genuine cause and shared excellent cooperation between the two countries”.

During Monday’s event, war veterans were felicitated. Popular cultural troupes from Bangladesh and India staged various performances while the war veterans shared their experiences of the battle.

Over 500 men and women from both countries, eminent personalities and dignitaries along with senior officials of BSF and BGB were present.

The BSF officials said that such events on the border would further boost the spirit of amity and confidence among the border populace on both sides of the international boundary.

In Agartala, a similar joint cultural programme was held on Sunday evening in the Agartala ICP along Bangladesh’s Akhaura border.

Tripura Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Sushanta Chowdhury and Agartala based Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh Mohammad Jobayed Hosen among others were present in the function, where felicitations were accorded to the personalities who participated in the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war.

The 1971 war led to the birth of sovereign Bangladesh from East Pakistan. The BSF, right from the beginning, played a very significant role in the 1971 Liberation War and heroically fought shoulder to shoulder with the Indian Army.

According to the BSF officials, 23 BSF units were deployed under the Army’s operational control and they performed their bravery in both defensive and offensive actions against enemy positions both independently and in coordination with the Army as well.

India and Bangladesh share a 4,096 km border with West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram and BSF have been manning the frontiers while BGB guarding their borders with the two borders guarding force working in tandem.