UNB, Dhaka :
The 96th birth anniversary of General Muhammad Ataul Gani Osmani, commander-in-chief of the Bangladesh Forces during the Liberation War, was observed on Monday with due respect.
Different political and socio-cultural organisations observed day with elaborate programmes, including placing wreaths at his grave and discussion.
Jaitya Janata Party arranged a discussion in the city on the occasion from where a five-point demand was placed.
The demands include publishing the book on the Liberation War written by Osmani, inserting his life in textbook, naming the roads from Secretariat to Supreme Court via Topkhana, Jatiya Press Club, Segunbagicha and Paltan as Osmani Avenue, naming the Parliament Session room and Dhaka-Sylhet highway and Chittagong Army Headquarters after his name, publishing book on Osmani’s life in various languages through Bangla Academy and making a film on Osmani.
MAG Osmani was elected as C-in-C of Bangladesh Forces in 1971 by all the Bengali officers, who were the principal participants during the early inception of the independence declaration on March 26, 1971.
This was ratified by Bangladesh Government in exile on April 10, 1971. In April 1972, General Osmani, the C-in-C, retired as the first full General (four star) of Bangladesh Forces, which was replaced by Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force. And three separate chiefs were selected on April 7, 1972 along with their Headquarters. Thus ‘General MAG Osmani’ is the only historical name whose name appears first in the honour boards of the three services as C-in-C between April 12, 1971 to April 7, 1972.
After serving in various government posts during 1972-1975 until his resignation, he was also active in politics during 1977-1984 as the head of Jatiya Janata Party until his death.
