Who’s been missing from Republic Day ceremonials

On November 26, the day that India commemorates the Constitution of India, which is the essence of its Republic, it is also the norm to look ahead to the Republic Day, which celebrates the day on which the Constitution came into effect, on January 26, 1950.

Republic Day ceremonies are very special, marked by a celebration of the grandeur of India; its military prowess, economic development and cultural richness and diversity; through a grand parade witnessed not only by the leadership and people of India, but also a specially invited foreign chief guest.

Beginning with Indonesian President Soekarno, in 1950, chief guests to Indian Republic Day celebrations have, in the past seven decades, been those whom India has deemed particularly special, from countries with which India enjoys and seeks excellent relations. Over the decades, the guest country is chosen after a careful deliberation of strategic, economic and political interests. 

It is, therefore, a curious fact that in the 50 years of Bangladesh’s existence, no dignitary from that country has ever graced the dais as chief guest for India’s Republic Day.

This year, 2021, when India and Bangladesh are celebrating the golden jubilee of the birth of Bangladesh, in which India certainly played a stellar role, and the two countries are commemorating 50 years of their diplomatic relations, it would have been a particularly meaningful gesture.

Bangladesh declared 2020 as ‘Mujib Borsho,’ to celebrate the birth centenary of its founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and invited the Indian prime minister to grace the occasion. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka in August 2020 was cancelled, after protests in Dhaka. The Indian PM did visit Bangladesh in March, 2021, as chief guest for the golden jubilee celebrations of the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent nation.

India and Bangladesh are sharing what has been called the “shonali adhyay,” or golden chapter, like never before in bilateral ties, ever since the resolution of the maritime and Land Boundary Agreements in 2014. Bangladesh also figures very high on New Delhi’s key foreign policy initiatives, ‘Neighbourhood First’ and the ‘Act East Policy.’

Illustrating which, in a significant break from protocol, Defence minister Rajnath Singh visited the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day of Bangladesh. He was accompanied by the top brass of the Indian armed forces, CDS Bipin Rawat, Indian Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari and Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh. It was on November 21, 1971, that the Battle of Garibpur began, which saw Indian armed forces and Bangladeshi liberation forces (Mukti Bahini) coming together against Pakistani forces.

According to Indian diplomatic sources, the reason why Sheikh Mujib, who shared a very warm relationship with the Indian leadership of the early 1970’s, headed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was not invited as chief guest shortly after the liberation of Bangladesh was because the priority was to stabilise the fledgling Awami League government in Dhaka. The brutal assassination of Sheikh Mujib and his family on August 15, 1975 ended that chapter of India Bangladesh relations.

Every single neighbour of India, including Afghanistan, Pakistan (twice, including in 1965), Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan and China, and even Myanmar (included as part of 10 ASEAN heads of state attended the National Day celebrations in January 2018) have seen top dignitaries invited as chief guests for India’s Republic Day celebrations. Given that both governments speak of the current ‘shonali adhyay’ of bilateral ties, it is, therefore, unclear why this glaring omission continues.

It is true that a joint contingent of the Bangladesh armed forces led the Indian Republic Day parade in 2021, when no chief guest was invited due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, an unprecedented gesture of solidarity, it remains unclear why no leader from India’s closest neighbour has not been called. Asked whether Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also the daughter of Sheikh Mujib, was being invited as the chief guest for the January 26, 2022, the MEA spokesman only responded by saying, “We have had a tradition for many years to have a high level dignitary part of our Republic Day celebrations and at an appropriate and opportune time we shall share the details once it’s finalised.” – INDIA NEWS STREAM