A 122-member Bangladesh tri-service contingent, for the first time in history, led the India’s 72nd Republic Day Parade on Tuesday.
The contingent comprising soldiers of the Bangladesh Army, sailors of the Bangladesh Navy, and air warriors of the Bangladesh Air Force joined the parade at Rajpath here this morning being invited by government of India. Lt. Col. Abu Md Shahnur Shawan led the Bangladesh contingent.
Earlier, contingents of France and United Arab Emirates (UAE) armed forces participated in the India’s Republic Day Parade in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
But, this is for the first time a Bangladeshi armed forces contingent led the parade as a foreign country, which, the observers said, is a great honour for Bangladesh.
The contingent carried the legacy of “Muktijoddhas” (freedom fighters) of Bangladesh, who fought against oppression and mass atrocities and liberated Bangladesh in 1971.
India observes its Republic Day on January 26 every year as on this day in 1950, the Constitution of India came into force after the country gained independence from British rule after over 200 years.
