Dhaka, June 29 -- British aid worker Julian Francis, who coordinated relief efforts for thousands of Bangladeshi refugees during the 1971 Liberation War, has described India's support as vital to Bangladesh's struggle for independence from Pakistan.

Speaking to ANI, Francis said the Indian government and its people extended extraordinary assistance during the war, while many Indian armed forces personnel also lost their lives.

Francis, then a 26-year-old Oxfam coordinator, oversaw relief operations for more than 600,000 Bangladeshi refugees in over 50 camps along the India-Bangladesh border.

He said the humanitarian situation was marked by widespread suffering, deaths and disease, but also resilience among the refugees.

Recalling one ...