KOHIMA: As part of the Bangladesh Air Force Raising Day celebrations, a delegation comprising 20 officers and personnel from the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF), led by Group Captain Tanvir Marzan, visited Dimapur recently.
The visit was aimed at preserving the spirit of the Liberation War among the personnel of the Bangladesh Forces, a statement released by the PRO Defence, Kohima, said.
Officers and personnel from the Indian Air Force (IAF), including those associated with the Dornier and MI 17-V5 squadrons with historical connections to Kilo Flight, engaged with the BAF personnel during the visit.
The Bangladesh Air Force has consistently shown a keen interest in visiting significant locations that played a crucial role during the 1971 Liberation War. This visit highlighted the strong ties and camaraderie between the Air Forces of both countries and acknowledges the IAF’s contribution to the Liberation of Bangladesh.
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Furthermore, the Eastern Air Command of the Indian Air Force highlighted the longstanding historical ties and exchanges between the Indian Air Force and the Bangladesh Air Force.
The statement also highlighted the origins of the Bangladesh Air Force in Dimapur, the commercial capital of Nagaland, during the early 1970s, amid the country’s Liberation War.
The BAF was established on September 28, 1971, with one Chetak, one Armed Otter, and one Dakota aircraft, along with 9 officers and 57 personnel in Dimapur.
Three pilots, Squadron Leader Sultan Ahmed and Flight Lieutenant Badrul Alam, who had defected from the Pakistan Air Force, and a civilian pilot, Captain Shahabuddin Ahmed, commenced their training with the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Kilo Flight in Dimapur on that historic day.
