Unsung heroes
Major Nazmul Huq was Commander of Sector No. 7, (April 10 – September 27, 1971) comprising Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogra and part of Dinajpur District. The headquarters of the sector was at Taranngapur. Major M. A. was Commander of Sector No-8 Jalil (July 17 – December 24, 1971) comprising Barisal, Patuakhali, and parts of the district of Khulna and Faridpur are the unsung heroes.
Both of them fearlessly fought for the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign country, but neither of them was awarded war title like Bir Uttam or the like.
Nazmul Huq was Wing Commander of erstwhile Bangladesh Rifles stationed at Naogaon. He died in a mysterious car accident in Agartala, India when he was returning to his camp after attending a meeting in the sector headquarters.
Lieutenant Abul Hashim was killed by the West Pakistani troops at Rangpur Cantonment in the first week of April. But he did not surrender. The young freedom fighters from the village of Islamnagar under Banowarinagar Thana in Pabna district have never been given applause. They are Khaleque, Habibur Rahman, Mokhlesur Rahman, Abdul Bari and Abdus Sattar and others.
The story does not end here. There are thousands of freedom fighters who are forgotten. We fear a day may arrive when the names of the sector commanders will be missing from the pages of history unless care is taken.
Abdullah Akber
Pabna
