Umroi (Meghalaya), Oct 16 (UNI) Bangladesh Army, Major General Chowdhury Mohammed Aizizul Haque Hazary on Monday said that Bangladesh was never a safe-haven for militants and asserted that there is no space for militancy on the soil of Bangladesh.
“I can say it (Bangladesh) was never a safe-haven, it is a country that gained Independence through liberation war. And our Prime Minister (Sheikh Hasina) as repeatedly says that there is no space for militancy in Bangladesh soil,” Hazary told UNI on the sidelines of the 11th edition of bilateral military exercise SAMPRITI-XI between India and Bangladesh at the Joint Training Node here in Meghalaya.
The Bangladesh contingent comprised a group of 170 soldiers of 52 Infantry Brigade and Indian contingent comprised of 170 soldiers of 15th Battalion The Rajput Regiment from 66 Mountain Brigade. The joint exercise which commenced at the Joint Training Node on October 3 concluded on Monday.
“If you talk about this (safe haven) we both the countries (India and Bangladesh) has military cooperation which includes intelligence sharing and at state-level also there is very a good cooperation, and both the countries are on the same footing to curb militancy,” the General Officer Commanding 17 Division & Area Commander Sylhet Area asserted.
When pointed out that Jamaat-e-Islam and other groups are still active in Bangladesh , the Bangladesh Army officer said , “there can be Jamaat but militants don’t come from one single field and they can come from anywhere. But whenever we feel such threats the army is combat ready to minimise and neutralize that threat and when it is necessary we take the support of our Indian friends.”
“The theme of the exercise this time was also to be able to negate this menace (militancy) which is all over across the globe and as all nations which value progress, economic growth, well of the people, so we are also prepared as anyone else’s would be,” Hazary said.
General Officer Commanding of 20 Mountain Division of the Indian Army, Major General Ajay Feroze Shah said, “Any army is prepared for any contingencies and both armies are always ready in all forms.”
Indo-Bangladesh joint exercise is organise on annual basis, alternate by India and Bangladesh on reciprocity basis under the exercise name SAMPRITI
“The successful culmination of the joint training was a significant milestone in ensuring cordial relations between the two countries. Besides promoting understanding and interoperability between the two armies, it further helped in cementing ties between both the nations,” Shillong based-defence Spokesperson, Wing Commander Sreeprakash J said.
