Dhaka: In his first foreign trip to Bangladesh after the Coronavirus pandemic to attend country's National Day celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the Gandhi Peace Prize 2020 to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman’s younger daughter during an event in Dhaka.
Addressing the National Day programme, Prime Minister thanked his Bangladeshi counterpart for inviting him to country's National Day event and said that it was an honour for him to be a part of the programme.
“It is a matter of pride for Indians that we got the opportunity to honour Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with Gandhi Peace Prize. I also salute the brave soldiers of the Indian Army who stood with the brothers and sisters of Bangladesh in the ‘Muktijuddho’ (Liberation War). I am happy to see them present at this event today,” PM Modi said in his speech.
While addressing the people of Bangladesh, PM Modi also remembered former Indian PM Indira Gandhi and said that her contribution in freedom of Bangladesh is publicly know.
"Bangladesh's freedom fight got support from every nook and corner, every political party and every seciton of society in India. Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's efforts and her pivotal contribution in freedom of Bangladesh is publicly known," he said.
Further in his speech PM Modi said that on December 6, 1971, another Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said not only we are fighting for those who have sacrificed their lives in Mukti Sangram, but we are also trying to give a new direction to the history.
"Today I also salute the brave soldiers of Indian Army who stood with brothers & sisters of Bangladesh in 'Muktijuddho'. I am happy that many Indian soldiers who participated in Bangladesh Liberation War are present at this event today," PM said further.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi paid homage to the martyrs of the 1971 Bangladesh War of Independence against Pakistan and said they devoted their life towards "preserving righteousness and resisting injustice".
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday received her Indian counterpart and rolled out the red carpet to welcome him on his two-day official visit. PM Modi was accorded a guard of honour by a contingent comprising personnel from the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force at the airport.
As per reports, PM Modi will leave Dhaka on Saturday for Shyamnagar in Satkhiraand visit Jeshoreshwari Temple, dedicated to the Goddess Kali.