Agartala, Aug 16 (IANS): A 19-day Bangladesh film festival will begin here Sunday depicting the neighbouring country's liberation struggle of 1971, a Tripura minister said.

"Eleven films, which recreate the valiant deeds of the freedom fighters in the 1971 liberation war, would be screened in four places in Tripura, including the capital," Tripura information and cultural affairs minister Bhanulal Saha told reporters Friday.

The festival is being organised in association with Bangladesh and Tripura's cultural organisations, Bangladesh diplomatic mission in Agartala and the Tripura government.

"The proposed films to be screened in the film festivals have won various international awards," the minister said adding that during the festival, directors would be present to explain their movies and the heroic stories of the liberation war.

"Palashi to Dhanmandi", "Karigar", "Joyjatra", "Pramanya Chitra-1971", "Amar Bandhu Rashed" and "Guerrilla" are scheduled to be screened at the festival.

Saha said: "Over 1,600,000 Bangladeshis (more than the state's then total population of 1,500,000) had taken shelter in Tripura alone fleeing the barbaric attacks of the Pakistani forces."

"The new generation in India and other countries knows very little about Bangladesh's liberation war and the supreme sacrifice of lakhs of people and India's role in the battle," he added.

Tripura shares an 856-km border with Bangladesh.