Indian Army Chief Meets His Bangladesh Counterpart

Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande paid a courtesy call on his Bangladesh counterpart General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed at the Army Headquarters in Dhaka Monday and discussed ways to enhance and strengthen bilateral defence cooperation.

General Pande commenced his three-day visit, his first foreign trip since assumption as Indian Army Chief, by laying a wreath at the Shikha Anirban in Dhaka Cantonment and paying tributes to the brave hearts who laid down their lives for the Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.

"It clearly shows his respect for Bangladesh and the existing historical and professional relationship between the two armies," Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR) said Monday.

After the meeting, a special briefing was held at the Helmet Conference Room of the Army Headquarters for the Indian delegation.

After that, the Indian army chief praised the current leadership of the Bangladesh Army and its overall high standards.

Earlier, General Manoj received an impressive guard of honour at Senakunja. He also planted a sapling to commemorate the friendship between the two armies.

Later he had courtesy meetings with Prime Minister's Security Affairs Advisor Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique (retired) and the chiefs of the Bangladesh Air Force and Bangladesh Navy.

In the afternoon, the Indian delegation paid tribute to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi. 

The delegation led by General Pande arrived in Dhaka Sunday at the invitation of the Bangladesh Army Chief.