Bangladesh keen to identify, develop historical places related to its liberation in Tripura: Envoy

Agartala (Tripura) [India], December 16 : Bangladesh's Assistant High Commissioner Mohammad Jobayed Hosen on Thursday said that Dhaka is eager to identify and develop the places that are of historical importance pertaining to the country's liberation war.
"This is an important issue and a few days back, I raised the issue with one of the ministers of Tripura government for proper identification of such places," Hosen said on Thursday while speaking to the reporters on the sidelines of the 50th Victory Day celebrations.
Hosen also said that his office has taken up the issue with Tripura Tourism Minister Pranajit Singha Roy during a preparatory meeting regarding the Indo-Bangla tourism festival.
Describing the challenges associated with the tasks, he said, "Already five decades have passed and a lot of change has happened. We are trying to gather information which will be followed by the proper marking of the places."
"The historical training camps from where the Mukti Bahini operated and strategised the war are very hard to be identified as there are no traces left. We need the exact description of the areas to develop those sights as war memorials," he added.
When asked about the number of such places in Tripura, the envoy said that Hosen said that this is an ongoing process that has been slowed down by the COVID-19.
He further said that as of now the Indo-Bangla Maitri park at Chottakhola has been identified as one such historical places.
The bunkers constructed during the classic war of Chottakhola are still there and this is perhaps the biggest spot, Hosen added.
Emphasising that Habul Banerjee's garden is another such place, he said as it appears, the number of total places would be more than 20 in the state because millions of refugees took shelter in Tripura, where there were training camps, refugee camps and graveyards which need to be carefully identified.
"There are many graveyards where mortal remains of Pakistan's soldiers and Razakars have also been buried. So we need to be very careful and precise while finalizing a spot," said Hosen.
The Assistant High Commission Office organised a function on Thursday to observe Bangladesh's 50 years of Victory Day celebrations.
War veterans were felicitated during the function and discussion took place over Tripura's contribution to the Bangladesh liberation war.
Speaker of Tripura Legislative Assembly Ratan Chakraborty also took part in the event and described the rise of Bangladesh as an independent country and the role of Tripura in its neighbour's liberation.
"Tripura welcomed people from Bangladesh more than its actual population, extending its support against the then tyranny," said Chakraborty, adding, "Tripura has played a crucial role and the Bangladesh government also accepts it."