Hamidur Rahman was born on 2 February 1953 Khardo Khalishpur, Moheshpur, Jhenaidah, Khulna Division, Bangladesh former East BengalHamidur Rahman, BS (2 February 195328 October 1971) was a
sepoy in
Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army is the land warfare branch and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities to deliver the Bangladeshi government's security and defe ...
during the
Bangladesh Liberation War. Rahman was killed on 28 October 1971 at Dholoi during the
Battle of Dhalai
The Battle of Dhalai was a battle fought between India and Pakistan before the formal start 1971 India-Pakistan War for the liberation of Bangladesh. The battle started after an attack by Indian army on Pakistani border outpost (BOP) in East Pak ...
,
Srimangal
Sreemangal ( bn, শ্রীমঙ্গল, Srimongol) is an upazila of Moulvibazar District in the Sylhet Division of Bangladesh. It is located at the southwest of the district, and borders the Habiganj District to the west and the Indian state ...
during an attempt to capture the Pakistani Army's position. The advancing
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
and
Mukti Bahini
The Mukti Bahini ( bn, মুক্তিবাহিনী, translates as 'freedom fighters', or liberation army), also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was the guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military, paramilitary ...
column finally captured the Dhalai Border Outpost on 3 November 1971. He was posthumously awarded the
Bir Sreshtho, the highest recognition of bravery in Bangladesh. The Dhalai post was eventually captured permanently by three infantry battalions belonging to 61 Mountain Brigade, one battalion belonging to
East Bengal Rifles (EBR) and 7
Rajputana Rifles
The Rajputana Rifles is the oldest rifle regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally a part of the British Indian Army, when six previously existing regiments were amalgamated to form six battalions of the 6th Rajputana Rifles. In 1945, the ...
supported by an artillery sized brigade of Indian army
fought against a battalion sized 12 Frontier Force of Pakistan army.
Background
Rahman was born on 2 February 1953 in Khardo Khalishpur village (Renamed Hamid Nagar) in
Moheshpur thana of the
Jhenaidah District
Jhenaidah District ( bn, ঝিনাইদহ) is a district in southwestern Bangladesh. It is a part of the Khulna Division. It has an area of . It is bordered by Kushtia District to the north, Jessore District and West Bengal, India to the s ...
. Hamidur Rahman Degree College was named in his honour.
He 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
Hamidur Rahman joined
East Bengal Regiment
The East Bengal Regiment ( bn, ইস্ট বেঙ্গল রেজিমেন্ট) is an infantry regiment ( regimental system type) and the largest military formation of the Bangladesh Army.
History
The East Bengal Regiment was for ...
on 2 February 1971 and participated in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. During the war he made a significant contribution in capturing the Dhalai Border Outpost at
Srimangal
Sreemangal ( bn, শ্রীমঙ্গল, Srimongol) is an upazila of Moulvibazar District in the Sylhet Division of Bangladesh. It is located at the southwest of the district, and borders the Habiganj District to the west and the Indian state ...
. 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
The Frontier Force Regiment is one of the six infantry regiments of the Pakistan Army. They are popularly known as the ''Piffers'' in reference to their military history as the PIF ( Punjab Irregular Force) of the British Indian Army, or as th ...
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.
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 neutralised the gun.
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.
Rahman's efforts helped the East Bengal Regiment take the outpost. He was buried in
Tripura
Tripura (, Bengali: ) is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country, it covers ; and the seventh-least populous state with a population of 36.71 lakh ( 3.67 million). It is bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the ea ...
in India.
Reburial
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).
10 December 2007 the remains of Rahman were brought back to Bangladesh and on 11 December 2007 he was buried again at ''Buddhijibi Koborsthan'' (Cemetery), Dhaka.
Rahman was posthumously awarded the
Bir Sreshtho, Bangladesh's highest award for valor, for his actions.
Legacy
Bir Shreshtha Hamidur Rahman Stadium in Jhenaidah district is named after him. A ferry was named after him. A library and museum was built in his memory and the village he was born in, Khordo Khalishpur has been renamed Hamid Nagar.
Hamidur Rahman Degree College was named in his honour.
Adamjee Cantonment College, a prestigious institution of Bangladesh has one of their houses named after Hamidur Rahman.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rahman, Hamidur
1953 births
1971 deaths
Bangladeshi military personnel
People killed in the Bangladesh Liberation War
Recipients of the Bir Sreshtho
Burials at Mirpur Martyred Intellectual Graveyard
People from Jhenaidah District
Mukti Bahini personnel
Srimangal Upazila