Bangladesh army delegation will participate in India’s Republic Day parade, this year. This comes as the two nations celebrate the 50th year of India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, which tore Pakistan into two and created the new nation of Bangladesh. In one of the fastest and shortest campaigns of military history, a new nation was born as a result of the swift campaign undertaken by the Indian Army.
The Bangladeshi contingent has been invited to take part in the parade on January 26. After facing defeat in the 1971 war, the then Army Chief of Pakistan General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with his 93,000 troops, surrendered to allied forces, which also comprised Indian Army personnel. Coming January 26, India will celebrate its 72nd Republic Day and honor the historic date when the country completed its transition towards becoming an independent republic after the Constitution came into effect. Foreign soldiers took part in the parade for the first time in 2016 when a French army contingent of 130 soldiers marched down Rajpath. The then French President, Francois Hollande, witnessed the parade as the chief guest that year. The Centre will be limiting the number of visitors at the Republic Day parade 2021 to avoid overcrowding and ensure social distancing amid the COVID-19 outbreak and concerns over the new virus strains.
