Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said Bangladesh cannot forget atrocities committed by Pakistan in 1971.
“Incidents of 1971 cannot be forgotten. The pain will remain forever,” she said while Pakistan High Commissioner in Dhaka Imran Ahmed Siddiqui called on the Prime Minister at her official Ganabhaban residence in Dhaka.
Referring to the volumes of the book titled “Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman”, PM Hasina said all can learn many historical facts from 1948 to 1971 from the books.
Noting that (the Urdu version) of the book “Unfinished Memoirs” written by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is one of the best seller books in Pakistan, she said it’s also well read in Pakistan apart from other countries.
The PM extended greetings to Pakistan PM Imran Khan when the High Commissioner conveyed good wishes of the Pakistan PM to Sheikh Hasina.
The High Commissioner said Pakistan PM advised them to learn about the development miracle of Bangladesh. Mentioning that different bilateral and regional forums have remained inactive, he sought help from the PM to activate Foreign Office consultations between the two countries.
The Prime Minister said there is no bar in Bangladesh to continue functioning regularly. Imran Ahmed said Pakistan wants to boost relations with Bangladesh without any obstruction.
PM Hasina also said she believes in regional cooperation referring to the Bangladesh foreign policy “friendship to all malice to none.”
The High Commissioner lauded Sheikh Hasina for her statesmanship in the global arena.
The Prime Minister welcomed the High Commissioner and assured him of all cooperation.
During the 1970s, a genocide was carried out by the Pakistan Army in present-day Bangladesh. In early 1971, the Pakistan Army, controlled by West Pakistan, had launched a brutal crackdown on the rebels of erstwhile East Pakistan. It is estimated that at least 3 million Bengali Muslims residing in East Pakistan was butchered by the Pakistan Army.