South Asia and Beyond

In R-Day Parade, A ThrowBack To Bangladesh Liberation War

When a 122 member strong tri-services contingent (it includes a band) from the Bangladesh armed forces participates in the Republic Day parade, its march down Rajpath will be redolent with nostalgia and a sense of deep bonding. It marks 50 years of Bangladesh’s liberation in which the Indian army fought alongside the Muktijoddhas. The Bangladesh contingent will lead the marching contingents at the parade.

Majority of the 122 men picked for this contingent belong to distinguished units of the Bangladesh army that played an important role in the country’s war of liberation. So there are units 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 and 11 from the East Bengal regiment and units 1, 2 and 3 from the Field Artillery regiment. These units fought during the 1971 liberation war. Men from the Bangladesh air force as well as its navy are also part of this contingent.