A joint retreat ceremony between India and Bangladesh will be launched at the Petrapole-Benapole Border in West Bengal today. Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and his Bangladeshi counterpart Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir will be present on the occasion. The retreat ceremony is being launched on the lines of the Attari-Wagha Border in Amritsar. Our correspondent reports that, the joint exercise is aimed at better cordial relations between the people of India and Bangladesh as well as the two border guarding forces. Our correspondent reports that for the first time in the history of India-Bangladesh relations, the people of the two neighbouring countries will today get a chance to witness the ceremonial lowering of their respective flags before sunset by forces guarding their borders dressed in full regalia.Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and his Bangladeshi counterpart Dr. Alamgir will inaugurate the ceremony this evening. The ceremony will take place at Petropole-Banapole border in India's 24 Parganas district in West Bengal and Jessore district of Bangladesh. According to BSF, the Joint Retreat Ceremony will focus more on shared Bangla culture between the two Bengals to give a message of mutual understanding and harmony that exists between the two countries. Around 25,000 people from both countries are expected to witness the maiden ceremony which was earlier scheduled to coincide with the birthday of Mahtama Gandhi, but had to be postponed due to inclement weather.