The Hindu : International / India & World : Bangladesh mourns Gen. Aurora

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 05, 2005

International

International - India & World

Bangladesh mourns Gen. Aurora

Haroon Habib

DHAKA: : The passing away of Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora, who led the India-Bangladesh joint command in 1971 leading to the surrender of the 93,000 strong Pakistan Army and the emergence of Bangladesh, was deeply mourned by Bangladesh war heroes, politicians, professionals and intellectuals.

Lt. Gen. Aurora visited Bangladesh only twice after the war, on invitation, but he was the most popular Indian General whose name was inseparably listed in the country's history.

In a message to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh, the former Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, Sheikh Hasina, conveyed her deep sympathy to the members of the bereaved family and said the people of Bangladesh would always remember Gen. Aurora's contribution in their Liberation War.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister M. Morshed Khan, in a message to his Indian counterpart, expressed his deep shock at the passing away of Lt. Gen. Aurora.

Great soldier

Paying tributes to Lt. Gen Aurora, the then Deputy Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Liberation Forces, A.K. Khondoker, who represented the Mukti Bahini at the historic surrender ceremony in Dhaka on December 16, 1971, said: "He was a great friend of Bangladesh."

"Since my acquaintance with him at the Mukti Bahini headquarters at Fort Williams, I met him several times and was present with General Osmany, Chief of Staff of Bangladesh Liberation Forces. I saw him always trying to help us in all possible ways," he said. "We learnt a lot from him," he said. "All those who knew him will miss the great soldier for long."

Rafiqul Islam, who commanded war time Sector-1 and later became a Minister, said Gen. Aurora was deeply moved by the sufferings of Bangladeshis.K.M. Shafiullah, then a sector commander of the nine month-long war and former Army Chief, said: "In fact, Gen. Aurora was a father figure for us...We got all sorts of help from him during the war."

A host of freedom fighters' organisations recalled Gen. Aurora's contribution to Bangladesh's independence.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

50 killed as militants target Kurdish city

Strain on fighting power, says U.S. General

Alarm as polio virus spreads

Firefighter's recovery amazes doctors

Head of Al-Qaeda in Pakistan captured

China gifts two giant pandas to Taiwan

Dhaka proposes dates for SAARC

Bangladesh mourns Gen. Aurora