Hamidur Rahman

Hamidur Rahman (2 February 1953 – 28 October 1971) was a sepoy in Bangladesh Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Rahman was killed on October 28, 1971 at Dhalai, Sylhet during an attempt to capture the Pakistani Army's position. The advancing Mukti Bahini column finally captured the Dhalai Border Outpost due in large part to his efforts. He was posthumously awarded the Bir Sreshtho, the highest recognition of bravery in Bangladesh.^[2]

Background

Rahman was born on 2 February 1953 in Khardo Khalishpur village (Renamed Hamid Nagar) in Moheshpur thana of the Jhenaidah District. Hamidur Rahman Degree College was named in his honour.^[3] and was the eldest son of his family. During the Partition of India in 1947, his paternal properties fell in India. They crossed over the border and settled in the bordering area of Khorda Khalishpur of Jhenaidah.

Liberation war

Rahman joined East Bengal Regiment on 2 February 1971 and participated in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.^[4] During the war he made a significant contribution in capturing the Dhalai Border Outpost at Srimangal. Though the independence fighters came very close to the Border Outpost, it became very difficult to capture owing to the enemy machine gun which was continuously firing from the south-western corner of the Dhalai Border Outpost. On 28 October 1971, a battle was taking place between 1st East Bengal Regiment and 30 A Frontier Force Regiment in Dhalai of Sylhet. 125 members of the East Bengal Regiment decided to use grenades on the machine gun posts of the Pakistani army. Rahman took the responsibility of throwing grenades, and crawled through the hilly canals. He managed to throw two grenades before he was shot.^[5] Rahman jumped into the enemy machine gun post and engaged in hand-to-hand fighting with the two crews who were guarding the gun, and at one point neutralized the gun.^[5] Realizing the fact that the machine gun outpost was damaged, the EBR's approach towards the enemy captured their first line within a short period of time. After the capture of the Dhalai Border Outpost, members of the EBR found the dead body of Rahman.^[5] Rahman's efforts helped the East Bengal Regiment take the outpost. He was buried in Tripura in India.

Reburial

Grave

On 27 October 2007, advisers of the Bangladeshi caretaker government decided to bring back his remains to Bangladesh and bury him besides Bir Shrestho Matiur Rahman. It is said that the last place he stood alive was about 20 feet away from the Pakistani bunker, either in a canal or where the memorial is (near the bunker).^[6] 10 December 2007 the remains of Rahman were bought back to Bangladesh and on 11 December 2007 he was buried again at Buddhijibi Koborsthan (Cemetery), Dhaka.^[7]

For the courage, valour, dedication to the cause of his motherland and supreme sacrifice, he was conferred Bir Sreshtho by the Government of Bangladesh.

Legacy

Bir Shreshtha Hamidur Rahman Stadium in Jhenaidah district is named after him.^[8] A ferry was named after him.^[9] A library and museum was built in his memory and the village he was born in, Khordo Khalishpur has been renamed Hamid Nagar.^[10] Hamidur Rahman Degree College was named in his honour.^[3]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bir Sreshtho Hamidur Rahman.

Bir Sreshtho
Ruhul Amin Mohiuddin Jahangir Mostafa Kamal Hamidur Rahman Matiur Rahman Munshi Abdur Rouf Nur Mohammad Sheikh