Dear friends,
Good morning.
Here is little effort to share what I had seen & experienced on day two in Dhaka or Dacca, Bangladesh as Yours representative !
Today, 16 Dec a very Important Day for Bangladesh & also Indian Armed Forces since 1971 when a New Country ” Bangladesh came into being as reality by the efforts of India, and very ably supported by the entire population of then East Pakistan to get rid of oppressive regime of West Pakistan .
Indeed it was a busy, hectic & very engaging  but never the less a very very memorable day.
Got up at 3.45am, got ready by 4.45am & assembled in Hotel Lobby & proceeded to War Memorial at 5am, reached at 6am, wreath laying Ceremony by President and Prime minister by 6.35 then met people. A very large presence of Army Navy & Air Force officers at the very very impressive War Memorial. Unfortunately did not carry Cameras & Mobile as it was the written in instructions but saw many carrying amongst us, so felt little dumb for not taken picture of impressive structure. Wish India too can learn from Bangladesh as to how A War Memorial should be ! Beautifully maintained over a very very large stretch & soothing environment. One felt proud to part of An Indian Veteran Delegation who were, in their small way, instrument in liberation of Bangladesh !
We started back journey at 7am, reached our Hotel Radisson at 8.30am since could not travel as fast on Road due to local traffic, though our military Convoy was escorted by Military & Civil Police. Road to War Memorial was lined up by enthusiastic civil population even as early !
Had Breakfast & got ready for Victory Day Parade in Hotel Lobby by 9.20am.
We reached the Parade Ground by 10am. It has all the vintage aircrafts of India laid out for the people to see in a park as a permanent feature. All Parade Columns came on Parade at 10.15,
Prime Minister arrived at 10.20 followed by President at 10.25. There after the Salute to President & March past by smart Army Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Para and a Special Column by Mukti Jodhas of 1971& many many more Columns.
There was a Motor Cycle, a special dog Squad, a horse Squad too. There were fair number of smart, impressive women representation  in military Columns.
This was followed by all Military Equipment incl Tanks, Armed Personnel Carrier(APCs), Guns, Rocket Launchers, Air defence Guns, Missiles, Ground to Ground Missiles, signal, Bridging Equipment & replica if Naval & Air Force Equipment.
There after came the very innovative, impressive Tabloids, show casing the Industrial, Health Services, Railways Navy Education, Rural infrastructure & multifarious progress of Bangladesh as a Country as such. Whole thing was very impressive.
This was followed by Fly past by all kind of Helicopter & Aircrafts. The most impressive was the Combat show by Fighter Mig 21 variants,
Mig 29 was most impressive with its ground skimming, thundering flying & all kinds of Rolls & Vertical flying Skill. Was to be seen to be believed. The Pilots were as good, if not better as any outstanding professional Fighter Pilots of India in their flying Skills!
It got over by 12.30 or so. Returned to Hotel for Lunch & ready to move at 2.20 for Reception by The President of Bangladesh where every person was present who mattered in country & who could reach the venue in a very large sprawling large Ground in President Estate.
Indian Veterans were treated every where with a very very Special & utmost care & affection. Every who is who person who mattered, showed keenness to meet us to show their gratitude & affection incl civil population in very very large number. Every one wanted to shake Hand & get a snap Clicked with us incl President, Prime Minister, all Service Chiefs & other dignitaries. It was quite an emotional time to see how Indian Armed Forces are held in their esteem by the People of Bangladesh. They all wished to convey in so many words as to what Indian Armed Forces has achieved for them. The fact also remains that if local population & committed Mukti Jidhas were not with Indian Armed Forces in 1971in the War of Bangladesh Liberation, the story may have been different!
We returned to Hotel by 6.45pm, got ready & proceeded to Golf Institute for Dinner being hosted by the Minister of Liberation at 7.45pm.
Again the Minister & all top Military brass present, were very affectionate with all of us. Minister spoke very eloquently about the Contribution if India & Indian Armed Forces. Thanked profusely for the contribution then & even today. They had laid out a very elaborate dinner. Which got over with Gp photograph & we returned to Hotel around 11pm, to be ready for next day events, which are; visit to Army, Navy & Air Headquarters & ladies for shopping to lessen the pocket load !
Over all it was an excellent day to cherish for time to come.
Thought will share with all of you what I have seen & experienced in nutshell.
More to follow. With best wishes from Dacca.

COL BHADUR SINGH

NEW DELHI — Faced with the continued delay of efforts to select a domestic company to upgrade its BMP-2 infantry combat vehicle fleet, the Indian Army had no choice but to buy 149 of the same outdated Russian-designed ICVs from the Indian government-owned Ordnance Factory Board, an Army official said.

“As the Ministry of Defence has not been able to [finalize] the procurement process of upgrading the outdated BMP-2 ICVs, the Indian Army had no choice but to buy 149 BMP-2 ICVs to replenish the inventory of around 1,200 BMP-2 ICVs,” said  the official, who like other Army sources quoted here asked not to be  named.

“Upgrading the BMP-2 ICVs in inventory will take time, and in the interim this order will replace the ones which have lived their life and are to be condemned beyond repair,” a second  Army official said.

However,  the need to upgrade the Army’s BMP-2 ICVs is urgent, the second official said, noting the demand  was raised a decade ago.

No MoD official would comment on the status of the BMP-2 upgrade. But an MoD source said the 149 additional  BMP-2s  purchased last month were to meet  “urgent requirements of the Indian Army.”

“As per the current doctrine of the Indian Army, BMP-2 meets the requirement of the Army,” the second Army official said. “However, as history has shown and recent conflicts around the world involving BMP-2 (the wars in Chechnya and Syria), BMP-2 as a weapon platform is extremely vulnerable to anti-tank weapons and even second-generation anti-tank guided missiles. In asymmetric warfare the BMP-2, without modern battlefield awareness sensors like laser warning systems, is a suicidal platform for the crew and Infantry stuck inside.”

The BMP-2s ordered by the Army last month for US $140 million will be new vehicles but the same outdated model as the existing fleet.

After coming to power last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government chose against issuing a global tender to upgrade the Army’s Russian-made BMP-2s and instead issued a request for information (RFI) to domestic companies. But the response has been poor, the MoD source said.

“To explore the private-sector route, the Indian Army released an open RFI for comprehensive upgrade [of its existing BMP-2s] in 2014 wherein major private-sector companies such as Tata Grop, Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge, Punj Loyd, etc., responded,” the ministry source said. “However, to date there hasn’t been much progress in this case.”

But no Indian company could upgrade the vehicles as specified without a foreign partner, and an executive of one domestic company offered the RFI said there has been “poor response from overseas companies as they await a formal request for proposal [RFP], which is now overdue after the RFI.”

US company General Dynamics, Britain’s BAE Systems, France’s Thales and Russia’s Rosoboronoexport have expressed interest in the project, but so far none have signed agreements to work with any domestic company on the BMP-2 upgrades, the executive added.

Under the proposed upgrade, the BMP-2’s current power pack will be upgraded from 285 horsepower to 380. The upgrade also will provide better observation and surveillance, night-fighting capability, fire control system and  anti-tank guided missile system. The  vehicle will gain a capability of having two missiles loaded in ready-to-fire mode, allowing the  gunner to fire missiles of his choice.

The fire control system would have a ballistic control with sensors to monitor wind and temperature, and should have an advance accurate firing capability. A new turret is required to increase firepower  and to fire new types of ammunition, and there is a requirement for a comprehensive electro-optic fire control system.

The 149 BMP-2s ordered  last month also will be upgraded at a later stage, defense analyst Rahul Bhonsle said.

“The BMP- 2 ICVs on order are likely to be included in the BMP-2 upgraded block which has been floated to companies in India and abroad over a period and the tender is not finalized,” he said.

Bathinda, December 8
To express gratitude to brave soldiers and their families, Armed Forces Day was observed today by the District Sainik Welfare Office.
The money collected on the occasion is provided as relief to the widows of Armymen, handicapped and needy Armed personnel and is also contributed towards the welfare schemes being run for the families of the Army.
Last year, Rs 2.45 lakh was distributed among 43 beneficiaries as financial aid.
Presiding over the function held to celebrate Armed Forces Day (Flag Day), ADC (General) Sumit Kumar Jarangal said the day provided them an opportunity to express gratitude to the brave soldiers and their families.
Jarangal appealed to the city residents to contribute maximum for this noble cause.
Col SS Sangha, District Sainik Welfare Officer, Bathinda, distributed Rs 50,000 among nine beneficiaries.
He told ex-servicemen and widows about various welfare schemes the Punjab Government was running for them, including monthly allowance to award winners and Blue Star affected Armymen maintenance grant.
Col Sangha, Superintendent Darshan Singh, Captain Gurmail Singh, Captain Gurtej Singh and the staff pinned token flags on ADC Jarangal, district revenue officer, election tehsildar and other officers. — TNS

Officers of the Kendriya Sainik Board pinning a flag on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Armed Forces Flag Day, in New Delhi on Monday.

NEW DELHI: India has signed 182 contracts over the last three years and the current year with domestic and foreign vendors for the procurement of defence equipment for the three armed services.

In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh said while 62 contracts were signed for the navy, 79 and 41 contracts were signed for the army and IAF respectively.

The defence equipment included ships, missiles, rockets, simulators, tanks, guns, aircraft, helicopters and radars.

Explaining the process, he said that the capital procurement proposals flow from the planning process.

The Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP) covers a period of 15 years and currently LTIPP 2012-27 is in vogue wherein the requirements specific to army, navy and air force include guns, rockets, missile systems, non-lethal weapons, flight control system, UAVs, amphibious aircraft, air-launched weapons and submarines, he said.

Replying to another question, Singh said 169 of procurement proposals have been approved during the last three financial years and the current financial year with total Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) cost of Rs 2,49,755 crore.

Requests for Proposals (RFPs) have been issued to private sector companies for cases falling in different categories, including procurement cases for simulators, field shelters and vehicles, he said.

Singh also said that during the last three years and the current year, indents have been placed for 105 mm light field guns and electronically upgraded 155 mm guns on Ordnance Factory Board.

The government has accorded approval for acquiring new artillery guns through five procurement cases, he said.

On Hawk advanced jet trainer planes, the minister said 91 out of 106 Hawk-132 have been inducted in Indian Air Force (IAF). The Hawk-132 is an advanced jet trainer and can be used for ground attack, he added.

Abohar: Maj Gen Bipin Bakshi, General Officer Commanding, Amogh Division, ex-servicemen, serving Army men and prominent civil officials of Sriganganagar district paid homage to 1971 war heroes on Monday while celebrating the 44th Nagi Day at Nagi (a small village in Srikaranpur close to the international boundary).Some ex-servicemen narrated how soldiers laid down their lives for the nation during the famous Battle of Nagi on December 27-28, 1971. The battle was fought ten days after the announcement of the ceasefire of Indo-Pak war, wherein Indian soldiers at Nagi thwarted the nefarious designs of the Pakistan army to capture the Indian Territory in the village. — OC

Sanjay Bumbroo,Tribune News Service,Fatehgarh Sahib, December 26

Thousands of devotees paid obeisance at the historic Fatehgarh Sahib gurdwara during the Shaheedi Jor Mela held to mark the 309th martyrdom of the younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh and Mata Gujri.The “Shaheedi Samagam” began with an Akhand Path held by Head Granthi Giani Harpal Singh at Gurdwara Jyoti Sarup. The mela will culminate with the bhog of Akhand Path on December 28.The police have made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the fair. No vehicular traffic was allowed in the town which has been divided into six sectors. The district administration has banned the setting up of shops on either side of the road from Gurdwara Jyoti Sarup to Fatehgarh Sahib gurdwara.The workers of various political parties were making preparations for their conferences on December 27.Meanwhile, the SGPC’s appeal not to sell religious books in the wake of the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib fell on deaf ears with vendors continuing to sell these books to devotees.

‘Shaheedi Jor Mela’ to begin today

Elaborate arrangements have been made for the three-day annual ‘Shaheedi Jor Mela’ to be held here from December 26 where devotees from all over the country and abroad would pay obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib.

The three-day religious function, to observe the martyrdom of the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh, who were “bricked” alive here during the regime of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, would begin with ‘Akhand Path’ of Guru Granth Sahib at Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup on Saturday, officials said.

On December 28 ‘Nager Kirtan’ would be taken from Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib to Gurdwara Jyoti Swaroop, in a decorated Palki Sahib (palanquin).

Devotees from across the country and abroad will come here to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib, they said.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the ’Shaheedi Jor Mela’, SSP Jatinder Singh Khaira said, adding police personnel with latest equipment would be deployed to prevent any anti-social activities.

Fatehgarh Sahib Deputy Commissioner, Varun Roojam said that wine shops would remain closed for those three days and anyone found selling intoxicants would not be spared.

Buses will be put on service, for taking senior citizens and ladies free of cost to Gurdwara Sahib from all entry points, he said.

SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said that the body has been arranging ‘Deewan’, where preachers, ragis, dhadi jathas would present devotional songs and give accounts of Sikh history.

While ‘Jor Mela’ is a religious affair, Roojam said that an exhibition depicting various achievements of the state government in different fields and public oriented schemes initiated would be arranged there.- PTI

Shaheedi Jor Mela:;history

Shaheedi Jor Mela is a mela (fair) organised every year in December at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib, in the Fatehgarh Sahib district ofPunjab, India to pay homage to the martyrdom of Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, the youngest sons of the sikh guru Guru Gobind Singh.

Death

Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh were imprisoned by the governor of Sirhind Wazir Khan. He offered them treasure and easy lives if they would only convert to Islam, but they refused and stuck their faith in Sikhism. They were entombed alive by being bricked into a wall, but the wall collapsed. On 26 December 1705, they were killed at Sirhind. Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib, 5 km (3.1 mi) north of the Sirhind ^[1]marks the site of their live entombment.^[2]

Mela[]

The first day of the Mela is observed purely in religious spirits. Later, political rallies and meetings are held by various political parties. Lakhs of devotes pay their obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib and Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup on this historic occasion every year during this three day Jor Mela.^[3] All nearby villagers organize langar for the devotees going to visit Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib for the Mela along all the roads leading to the gurdwara.

 

Each year, the district administration would do special arrangements for devotees and people visiting the mela like parking areas, controlling flow of traffic by setting up special barricades and nakas, medical & emergency services and by deploying heavy police force for security. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has been arranging deewan, where the Sikh preachers, ragis, dhadi jathas will present devotional songs and give the accounts of the Sikh history. Although Jor Mela is a religious event, a heavy police force is normally deployed all around the Mela site.^[4]

INAUGURATES INDOOR GAMES HALL AT THE VILLAGE’S GOVT SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

ROHTAK: Army chief General Dalbir Singh received a warm welcome as he visited his native village Bishan in Jhajjar district on Saturday.

HT PHOTOArmy chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag seeking the blessings of his parents at his native Bishan village in Jhajjar district on Saturday. He visited the village with his wife and children.

The general asked village residents to educate girls and encourage them to join the Army. “Girls are doing well in all spheres and they should also show interest in the Army,” Gen Singh told locals.

On his maiden visit to the village after becoming the army chief, Gen Singh reached the village along with his wife Namita, daughter and son.

During the five-hour stay at the village, he also met his father Ramphal and mother Ishari Devi and spent time with the girl students of the village and shared his success story with them.

“Weapons of honesty and truth provided by my parents helped me become the army chief,” he told locals.

During the visit, the general also paid tributes to Paramhans Maharaj’s samadhi and inaugurated an indoor games hall at the government senior secondary school.

Ravinder Saini,Tribune News Service,Bishaan (Jhajjar), December 26

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag was accorded a rousing reception by residents of his native village when he along with his wife Namita and children arrived here today first time after taking over the reins of the Indian Army last year.Enthused villagers not only presented him bouquets, but also distributed sweets to celebrate the moment. A function was organised in the village school to make his visit memorable.Earlier, the villagers welcomed the Army Chief by presenting him the traditional turban. Later, Gen Suhag inaugurated a newly constructed hall for indoor games at Government Senior Secondary School here and took blessings of his parents — Ramphal Suhag and Mishri Devi.Speaking on the occasion, Suhag exhorted the villagers to motivate their daughters to join the Indian Army to give a boost to women empowerment, besides providing them opportunity to serve the nation.“I will wait for the first daughter of Bishaan village, who will join the Army. It is my heartiest desire that like sons, people of this village give their daughters a chance to become Army officer,” the Army Chief said, adding that society could not progress without empowering the women.Encouraging schoolchildren to work hard for achieving their goal, Gen Suhag said he had attained the top level of the Indian Army after studying under trees of this school.The students should realise their dreams with strong willpower to make their future bright. “I wish not one but 100 Army Chiefs should come out from Bishaan village to make the village and the state proud,” he maintained.Recalling his childhood days spent in the village, Gen Suhag said he had worked in the fields and played games such as “Gilli-danda” and kabaddi along with his friends. “I used to irrigate fields and helped in harvesting and preparing feed for cattle,” he added.

https://youtu.be/GCbfaGzcKxE?t=5