On Wednesday, December 18, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh issued a statement presenting the accurate history of the country’s Liberation War in response to a controversial post by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The statement was also shared on the ministry’s verified Facebook page.
Titled “Facts of History,” the statement highlighted that after a long struggle and enduring a brutal nine-month war, Bangladesh emerged as a sovereign and independent nation on December 16, 1971. Quoting from the book Liberation and Beyond: Indo-Bangladesh Relations by the late J.N. Dixit, former Indian Foreign Secretary and National Security Advisor, the statement noted: “A major political mistake of the Indian military high command at the surrender ceremony was its failure to ensure and facilitate the presence and signature of General M.A.G. Osmani, the commander of the joint forces from the Bangladesh side.”
The statement elaborated on this absence, stating that the official explanation given was that General Osmani’s helicopter had taken off but failed to reach Dhaka in time for the ceremony. However, there was widespread suspicion that the helicopter was deliberately misdirected to prevent his timely arrival, thereby keeping the focus of the ceremony on Indian military commanders. The statement termed this as an “unfortunate deviation” that India could have avoided. It further added that Osmani’s presence at the surrender ceremony could have mitigated significant political misunderstandings that later affected India-Bangladesh relations in the early days of Bangladesh’s independence.
The ministry underscored in its statement, “As we celebrate our glorious victory in 1971, we celebrate the truth.”
The controversy arose from a post made by Narendra Modi on his verified Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) accounts on Monday. In the post, Modi stated: “On Vijay Diwas, we honor the courage and sacrifice of the brave soldiers who contributed to India’s historic victory in 1971. Their selfless dedication and unwavering determination protected our nation and brought us glory. This day is a tribute to their extraordinary valor and indomitable spirit. Their sacrifice will forever inspire generations and remain deeply etched in our nation’s history.”
The post made no mention of Bangladesh’s Liberation War, framing the 1971 victory solely as “India’s historic victory.” This omission caused widespread discontent among many in Bangladesh, who felt it disregarded the central role of their Liberation War.
