Saiful Azam

Saiful Azam (; 11 September 1941 – 14 June 2020) was a Pakistani and later Bangladeshi fighter pilot and flying ace, and politician. He first served as a fighter pilot for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and later the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF). According to Pakistani sources, during his career as a PAF pilot, he shot down one Indian Air Force aircraft in the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War and four Israeli aircraft during the Six-Day War, where he served as a military advisor and pilot for the air forces of Jordan and Iraq.

For his actions, he received various gallantry awards from Pakistan, Jordan and Iraq. He also took part in 12 ground-attack missions against the Indian armed forces. After the independence of Bangladesh, he joined the newly formed Bangladesh Air Force.

In 1980, Azam retired as a group captain from the Bangladesh Air Force. After retiring from the military, Azam continued government service on contract basis and started his own private trading firm. Azam was a one term parliament member (1991-1996) representing his hometown seat of Pabna from Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He died on 14 June 2020 at Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka Cantonment.

Early life and education

Azam was born on 1 September 1941 to a Bengali Muslim family in the village of Khalishadah-Khagarbaria in Pabna District, Bengal Presidency (now Bangladesh). His father, Nurul Amin, worked in Calcutta where Azam spent much of his childhood up until the Partition of Bengal in 1947. After completing his secondary schooling in East Pakistan, he moved to West Pakistan and joined the Pakistan Air Force College in Sargodha. After that, he joined Pakistan Air Force Academy, Risalpur in 1958, successfully gaining commission as an officer in the PAF's General Duties Pilot or GD (P) branch in 1960. Saiful Azam was married to Nishat Azam, a lawyer.

Service with the Pakistan Air Force (1960–1971)

After training with the Cessna T-37 aircraft and further education at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, with F-86 Sabres, in 1963, Azam was posted briefly in Dhaka before becoming an instructor with the T-33s at PAF's No. 2 Squadron (Jet Conversion Unit) in Mauripur, Karachi. While still posted as an instructor, Azam flew in the September 1965 war with India as part of PAF's No. 17 Squadron from PAF Base Sargodha, flying F-86s. After returning from a successful ground attack, Azam's group encountered Indian Folland Gnat interceptors; Azam shot down the aircraft and the Flying Officer was Mayadev of the Indian Air Force. Flying Officer Mayadev ejected and was captured by Pakistani soldiers on the ground. Throughout the 1965 war, Azam took part in 12 ground-attack missions which inflicted heavy damage on Indian armed forces. For his actions, Azam was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat, Pakistan's third highest military award. In 1966, he assumed the command of PAF's No. 2 Squadron.

In November 1966, he was sent by the Pakistan Air Force on deputation as an adviser to the Royal Jordanian Air Force. According to Pakistani sources, during the 1967 Arab Israel war, Flight Lieutenant Saiful Azam shot down a Dassault Mystère IV, a supersonic aircraft belonging to the Israeli Air Force (IAF) while flying a Hawker Hunter. According to the same sources, a day later, he was shifted to an Iraqi airbase where he shot down a Vautour IIA and Dassault Mirage III belonging to the Israeli Air Force, the amount of fighter aircraft shot down only in two missions remains as the highest shooting record of Israeli Air Force aircraft till today.

In 1969, after completing his overseas deputation, he returned in service to the PAF and spent several years as flight commander at various PAF bases before the Creation of Bangladesh.

Service with the Bangladesh Air Force (1971–1979)

After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, Azam entered service with the newly formed Bangladesh Air Force in 1974, serving as Director of Flight Safety and Director of Operations before being given command of the Dhaka Air Base and promoted to Group Captain in 1977. He retired in 1980 as Group Captain.

Post-retirement (1988–2020)

Following his retirement from the military, he joined Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). As a BNP candidate, Saiful took part in the 1991 Bangladeshi general election from Pabna-3 and achieved victory.

Subsequently, he entered the private business sector as the managing director of Natasha Trading Agency and as the director of a travel agency with his wife.

Death

Azam died on 14 June 2020 at a Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka Cantonment. Air Chief of Bangladesh Air Force Masihuzzaman Serniabat expressed deep shock and sadness for his death. A state funeral was arranged at the BAF Base Khademul Bashar parade ground including a fly past in honor of him.

''The then'' Chief of Pakistan Air Force Mujahid Anwar Khan and Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan, Ahmed Rabie, expressed grief over the Azam's death. Mujahid Anwar Khan stated that Azam was an exceptional fighter pilot who would always be remembered for his valour and professionalism. Ahmed Rabie stated that "on behalf of all Palestinians, I send our deepest condolences to his family in Pakistan and in Bangladesh."

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, also expressed shock and sorrow at the death of Saiful Azam.

See also

* Sattar Alvi
* Muhammad Mahmood Alam
* 8-Pass Charlie

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Azam, Saiful
1941 births
2020 deaths
People from Pabna District
Pakistan Air Force officers
Pakistani flying aces
Bangladesh Air Force personnel
Bangladeshi aviators
Pilots of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
PAF College Sargodha alumni
Aviation record holders
5th Jatiya Sangsad members
Pakistani aviation record holders
Six-Day War pilots