Dhaka, May 13 (IANS) Bonds sanctified by blood bind the people of India and Bangladesh striving for freedom and democracy, said freedom fighters commemorating the Liberation War of 1971 here.

Indians extended all help to the people of Bangladesh during the Liberation War as "both of them wanted to achieve democracy, secularism and socialism", they said at a meeting here on the first death anniversary of Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora, who led the joint Indo-Bangladesh forces to liberate Dhaka.

"Gen. Aurora helped us in materialising our dream of independence that we cherished in our heart through ages," said Kamal Hossain, president of Gono Forum and free Bangladesh's first law minister who helped draft the constitution, the Daily Star newspaper reported.

Suranjit Sengupta, an Awami League presidium member, said, "The victory in liberation is the outcome of the collective efforts of Bangladesh and Indian people."

At the discussion organised by the Bangladesh Muktijoddha Kalyan Foundation (BMKF), freedom fighters expressed strong sentiments against the policies of the present government of Begum Khaleda Zia.

Tofail Ahmed of the Awami League (AL) said the best way to show respect to the Liberation War heroes is "to topple the present regime and establish a government of pro-liberation forces".

Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, an AL presidium member, said being the wife of a valiant freedom fighter, the prime minister was "humiliating the national flag by accommodating anti-liberation elements in her cabinet".

Presided over by Maj. Gen. (Retd) K.M. Shafiullah, a former army chief, the meeting was also addressed among others by Air Vice Marshal (Retd) A.K. Khandakar, a former air force chief, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Amin Ahmed Chowdhury, Maj. Gen. (Retd) C.R. Datta and Momtaz Begum.