- Title: BANGLADESH: LAST INDIAN TROOPS WITHDRAW AFTER INDIA-PAKISTAN WAR.
- Date: 14th March 1972
- Summary: 1. GV Army equipment PAN ACROSS TO troops waiting to leave 0.08 2. SV PAN ACROSS soldiers 0.13 3. SV PAN soldier wheeling truckload of equipment to aircraft(2 shots) 0.38 4. SV Soldiers carrying packs march towards aircraft 0.46 5. SV Soldiers loading aircraft 0.53 6. SV Troops into aircraft 1.04 7. SCU Officer calling roll, PAN TO TROOPS boarding 1.14 8. TV Troops boarding 1.22 9. LV Troops boarding 1.25 10. GV, CU and SV aircraft engines start, plane taxies to runway (3 shots) 1.46 Troops and equipment boarding aircraft at Dacca. Initials OS/2222 OS/2233 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 29th March 1972 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: DACCA, BANGLADESH
- Country: Bangladesh
- Reuters ID: LVA28EWPXMKOVAZPU3CCBIBD3JAN
- Story Text: The last five hundred Indian troops, in Bangladesh since the India-Pakistan war in December, have been withdrawn.
The troops left Dacca by road and air on Monday (13 March).
Indian troops have been in the territory which is now Bangladesh since December the 4th, when they crossed the border to join local nationalist forces in their fight against the Pakistan Army.
Pakistan surrendered on December 16th -- and a few days later the new state of Bangladesh was declared. It was bolstered initially by Indian forces, which at one time numbered 140-thousand. The withdrawal of the last five hundred men leaves Bangladesh in charge of its own internal security.
In a farewell ceremony the day before the final withdrawal, the Indian troops were told by the Bangladesh leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, that their role had been "unparalleled in history" and would never be forgotten by the people of Bengal.
SYNOPSIS: The final withdrawal of Indian troops from Bangladesh. They left Dacca on Monday -- a little more than three months after they first ??? into the territory to fight the Pakistan Army. This final withdrawal leaves the young state of Bangladesh in charge of its own security.
Soon after the surrender of Pakistan, the new state was occupied by a total of 140-thousand Indian troops. However, a promise was made that withdrawal would be as swift as possible and the departure of these soldiers fulfils that promise. Twenty-four hours before this departure from Dacca Airport, the troops heard the leader of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman say that their role had been "unparalleled in history", and would never be forgotten by the people of Bengal. Sheikh Mujib also made reference to the men who didn't withdraw: to those Indians who died in the fighting. He said a bond had been built up between the Indian and Bengali people which could never be broken.
Officials in Bangladesh say they hope this last withdrawal of Indian troops will prompt more nations to recognise the new government. But some local residents think the withdrawal has been too quick -- and could have left a vacuum, which will lead to problems of maintaining law and order.
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