Date: Wednesday 24 March 2021 (14:00pm-15:30pm CET)
European Bangladesh Forum (EBF), a Europe-based Diaspora organization of Bangladeshi Europeans will organize a Virtual Conference on ‘50 Years of Independence: Geo-political support for Bangladesh in 1971’on Wednesday 24 March 2021 at 14:00-15:30 CET.
BACKGROUND: Bangladesh and India share many things in common, especially in terms of history, politics and culture. Bangladesh and India share not only a common border of 4096 km but also share a common history of struggle for freedom and liberation. India extended all-out support to Bangladesh to liberate her from the clutches of Pakistan in 1971. Bangladesh too lent all possible cooperation to India, inter alia, uprooting the armed insurgency from the soil of Bangladesh, who under the state patronization during the BNP-Jamaat rule in late 70s and early 80s, led an armed struggle against India. The latest, inauguration of the ‘Maitri Setu’ (Friendship Bridge), a bridge over the Feni river between the two countries via videoconferencing by the head of the two states demonstrates the friendly ties between the two countries. Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina on the occasion said, ‘Opening of any bridge is testimony to Bangladesh govt's continued commitment to support our neighbors India in strengthening connectivity in the region, particularly for Northeast India.’ The relationship between the two countries- India and Bangladesh- is more solid today than ever before.
After the assassination of the founder of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 15 August 1975, Bangladesh moved to a different direction, away from the above four principles and the country witnessed an alarming rise of anti-India and anti-secular forces vitiating the bilateral relations under the leadership of Gen Ziaur Rahman and the BNP-Jamaat rule. What is a matter of more concern and alarm is that Pakistan is still struggling to wipe out the memory of their humiliating defeat in 1971 and making attempts to indulge in the internal matters/politics of Bangladesh.
The year 2020 is the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 2021 is the 50th years of Bangladesh’s Liberation War and marking the establishment of Bangladesh-India bilateral diplomatic ties.
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE: In order to highlight this relationship between the two friendly countries with an aim to inform the Bangladeshi and European audience/people, European Bangladesh Forum (EBF) plans to organize an International Virtual Conference on the topic, ‘50 Years of Independence of Bangladesh and Friendship with India’ on Wednesday 24 March 2021 at 14:00-15:30 hours (CET).
The virtual meeting will be hosted by the London-based British News Channel and LIVE broadcast. It will also simultaneously be watched on You Tube and Facebook of the Channel and EBF Websites simultaneously.
The virtual meeting can be seen at the following links:
https://www.facebook.com/1893291424235804/posts/2916554851909451/?d=n
Youtube link :
https://youtu.be/C6JL9EcnAds
The Speakers of the virtual meeting are: Dr. Siegfried O. Wolf, Director Research, South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF), Belgium, Mr. Azizul Islam Bhuyian, Editor, Bangladesh News & Bangladeher Khobor, former Managing Editor of the national News Agency, Bangladesh Sangbad Sagstha (BSS), Mr. Haroon Habib, Freedom Fighter and General Secretary, Sector Commanders’ Forum, Major General (Retd) Abdur Rashid, Executive Director, Institute of Conflict, Law and Development Studies (ICLDS), Dhaka. It will be moderated by Dr. Mojibur Rahman, HR activist, Sr researcher and writer, Finland.
Website: http://www.ebforum.eu/