Muhammad Shafi (1915-1971) was a Bangladeshi surgeon who was killed in the Bangladesh Liberation war. Shafi is considered a "Martyr" in Bangladesh.
Shafi was born in Dighira, Hooghly, West Bengal, British India on 5 April 1915. He graduated from Hughli Zila High School in 1930 and from Hawrah Government College in 1932. He completed his degree in dentistry from Calcutta Dental College in 1936 and in 1942 he finished his MBBS from the same college. [1]
Shafi joined R. Ahmad Dental Laboratory as a dental surgeon and later in Calcutta Medical College. He had a private practice in Baubazar Street in Kolkata. After the Partition of India, he moved to Chittagong, East Pakistan. He established a private practice in Enayet Bazar. In 1964, he won the National Bank Literary Award for his book Jana-samkha O Sampad. In 1971, he supported the non-cooperation movement. He joined in helping the Mukti Bahini in the Bangladesh Liberation war, which started on 25 March. He helped the staff of Chittagong Radio Station with the establishment of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, which was opened in his residence. [1]
On 7 April 1971 Shafi was detained by Pakistan Army but was released on the recommendation of Brigadier Mirza Aslam Beg, a patient of his. His house was raided by Major Bokhari. Major Bokhari searched the residence and found weapons stored for Mukti Bahini. Shafi was arrested with his brother in Law, Khondakar Ehsanul Haque. Both were never seen again and assumed to be dead. His wife, Mushtari Shafi, and his 3 sons and 4 children survived. Pn 14 December 1999, Bangladesh Post Office issued commemorative stamps with his name. [1]
Munshi Abdur Rouf BS was a Lance Nayek in the 11th Wing of East Pakistan Rifles during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He enlisted in the East Pakistan Rifles on 8 May 1963, and was attached with a regular infantry unit during the War of Liberation. Rouf died on 8 April 1971 at Burighat in Chittagong Hill Tracts after causing extensive damage to the Pakistani Army with his machine gun and forcing them to retreat. He was buried at Naniarchor Upazila in Rangamati District.
Mohammad Ataul Gani Osmani was a Bangladeshi military officer and revolutionary. His military career spanned three decades, beginning with his service in the British Indian Army in 1939. He fought in the Burma Campaign during World War II, and after the partition of India in 1947, he joined the Pakistan Army and served in the East Bengal Regiment, retiring as a colonel in 1967. Osmani joined the Provisional Government of Bangladesh in 1971 as the commander-in-chief of the nascent Bangladesh Forces. Regarded as the founder of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, Osmani retired as the first full general from the Bangladesh Army in 1972.
The Bangladesh Liberation War started on 26 March 1971 and ended on 16 December 1971. Some of the major events of the war are listed in the timeline below.
Muhammed Abul ManzurBU was a Bangladeshi military officer who commanded the Bangladesh Forces operations in Sector 8 during the Bangladesh Liberation War against Pakistan in 1971. He was allegedly involved in the assassination of the then-president of Bangladesh, Ziaur Rahman. The erstwhile chief of army staff and alleged mastermind of Rahman's assassination, Hussain Muhammad Ershad, had put a standing shoot-to-kill order on Manzur's life—he was killed shortly after being captured at the border. About a year later, Ershad initiated a bloodless coup d'état and took over the central government, holding power until 1990.
Operation Jackpot was a codename for three operations undertaken by the Bengali Mukti Bahini in former East Pakistan against the Federation of Pakistan at the climax of the Bangladesh Liberation War.
The Al-Shams was an anti-Bangladesh paramilitary wing of several Islamist parties in East Pakistan composed of local Bengalis and Muhajirs that along with the Pakistan Army and the Al-Badr, is accused of conducting a mass killing campaign against Bengali nationalists, civilians, religious and ethnic minorities during 1971. The group was banned by the independent government of Bangladesh, but most of its members had fled the country during and after the Bangladesh Liberation War, which led to Bangladesh's independence.
Kader Bahini was an independent militia created during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, the other being Mukti Bahini. It was named after its leader, Kader Siddique.
Bangladesh's military history is intertwined with the history of a larger region, including present-day India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. The country was historically part of Bengal – a major power in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Fazlul Karim was a Bangladeshi lawyer, businessman, politician and soldier. He was the first mayor of Cox's Bazar.
Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul was a Bangladeshi lyricist, composer and music director, active since the late 1970s. He was a freedom fighter who joined the Bangladesh Liberation War at the age of 15. He won Ekushey Padak and Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Music Director twice for the films Premer Taj Mahal (2001) and Hajar Bachhor Dhore (2005).
Kazi Nuruzzaman Bir Uttom was a Bangladeshi war hero and secular nationalist, who served as one of the principal commanders of the Mukti Bahini during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He also rejected Bir Uttam award as a tribute to all the unknown, unrecognized martyrs of the war.
The Mukti Bahini, also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was the guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military, paramilitary and civilians during the Bangladesh Liberation War that transformed East Pakistan into Bangladesh in 1971. They were initially called the Mukti Fauj.
Chitta Ranjan Dutta Bir Uttom, also known as C R Dutta, was a Bangladeshi war hero who served as major-general of the Bangladesh Army. He was a key sector commander of the Mukti Bahini during the Bangladesh Liberation War. After independence, he served as the armed forces commander in Rangpur and later went on to become the first director-general of the Bangladesh Rifles in 1973.
Muhammad Shujat Ali is a Bangladesh Awami League politician and the former Member of Parliament.
Azharul Haque (1940-1971) was a Bangladeshi physician-surgeon, who was killed in the Bangladesh Liberation War and is considered to be a martyr intellectual in Bangladesh.
Mir Shawkat Ali, Bir Uttom was a general in Bangladesh Army and also a politician of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. He was a freedom fighter during Bangladesh Liberation War and a sector commander of the Mukti Bahini. He was the state minister of food, and cabinet minister of labour and manpower. He was a war hero and awarded the Bir Uttom for his contribution during the Bangladesh liberation war.
Shamsuddin Ahmed was an East Pakistan medical doctor who was killed in the Bangladesh Liberation war and considered a martyr in Bangladesh.
Ayesha Bedora Choudhury (1935–1971) was a Bangladeshi doctor who was killed in the Bangladesh Liberation war and is considered a martyr in Bangladesh.
Wakar Hasan, Bir Protik was a Bangladesh Army major and a member of the Mukti Bahini in the Bangladesh Liberation War. For his courage in the war of liberation, the Government of Bangladesh gave him the title of Bir Protik.
Mohammad Ziauddin, BU is a retired Bangladeshi military officer, who was the Commanding Officer of the 1st East Bengal Regiment during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He was awarded the Bir Uttom, the country's second highest gallantry award for his outstanding bravery in the Liberation War. His certificate number was 22.