Bangladesh scripted new destiny 50 yrs ago: Sonia

New Delhi Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday extended her wishes to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of Bangladesh’s 50th Independence Day, saying that the year 1971 was “transformative” for India as well

New Delhi Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday extended her wishes to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of Bangladesh’s 50th Independence Day, saying that the year 1971 was “transformative” for India as well.

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“Fifty years ago, the courageous people of Bangladesh had scripted a whole new destiny for themselves and transformed both history and geography of the sub-continent,” Sonia said in a video message to the neighbouring country.

“Over the past five decades, Bangladesh’s remarkable achievements in social development, community participation, economic growth and other areas have been very impressive and have received global recognition,” she added.

Drawing a parallel between the developments in India and Bangladesh in 1971, Sonia maintained that the period was “as much a transformative year for India as it was for Bangladesh”, referring to the rise of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi as a political leader as well as a statesman.

“On this joyous occasion, and as someone who lived through the transformative hours, days, weeks and months of 1971 by Indira Gandhi’s side along with my husband Rajiv ji, I am personally delighted to share the pride of Sheikh Hasina and millions of her countrymen and women,” she said.

Reminiscing the friendship between Indira and Bangladesh founding father ‘Bangabandu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose birth centenary was also observed on Friday, Sonia said: “We in India have always had a special relationship with the people of Bangladesh. This has been in very large measures because of the role Indira Gandhi played in the historic events of 1971.”

She added that the two leaders had established “bonds of mutual respect, admiration and deep friendship”.

Sonia, who was also among the invitees to Dhaka for the celebrations, couldn’t travel to Dhaka due to Covid-19 restrictions.