Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to Dhaka a week before the Vijay Diwas observance was crucial in getting the bilateral dialogue going. In the face of growing anti-India sentiments in that country as well as attacks on minorities witnessed in Bangladesh ever since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in early August this year, to the growing protests in various parts of India, it was prudent for both sides to meet to understand each other’s concerns and constraints.

Few bilateral relationships are as intricate and layered as that between India and Bangladesh. From the crucible of Bangladesh’s liberation war in 1971 to the complex diplomacy of current times, this relationship has weathered numerous storms. The foundation of this relationship was laid in blood and sacrifice. During Bangladesh’s liberation war, India provided crucial military and humanitarian support, hosting millions of refugees and eventually intervening militarily to support the Bengali freedom fighters. The victory on Vijay Diwas (December 16, 1971) created not just a new nation but also forged what seemed to be an unbreakable bond between the two countries.

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/vijay-diwas-india-bangladesh-public-perceptions-long-standing-issues-bilateral-ties-9729998/