Abul Monjur
Encyclopedia
Major General Muhammad Abul Manzur (1940–1981) was a career Bangladesh
i army officer who was a war hero being a freedom fighter and Sector Commander of BDF
Sector 8 during the Bangladesh Liberation War
from Pakistan. He was awarded valor under fire Bir Uttam by the Bangladeshi Government for his bravery in the liberation war. Manzur was appointed as the youngest divisional commander of Bangladesh Army
, GOC of Chittagong Cantonment – 24th Infantry Division.
district in 1940. His paternal home is at village Kamalpur in Chatkhil thana of Noakhali district. He passed senior Cambridge in 1955 and ISC examination in 1956 from the Sargoda Public School in Punjab. He joined the East Bengal Regiment as a commissioned officer of the then East Pakistan. He attended Staff College in Canada in 1958 where he obtained his PSC. After the war started, at that time Major Manzur was a Brigade Major
of a Para Commando Brigade
close to the Indian Border. He fled Pakistan on a daring escape with his family and few fellow officers across the border to India. From there, they made their way to Bangladesh and Manzur joined up with fellow officers from East Bengal. He quickly became a prominent officer within the ranks and won many battles in his sector. He commanded Sector – VIII during the Liberation War from September 1971 to victory on December 1971. Known for his tenacity, keen eye for strategy and deep loyalty from his fellow officers and senior NCOs, in 1975 he was promoted to colonel
. Around 1979/80, he was promoted to Major General
at the age of 41 and became one of the youngest general of a front line force in south-east Asia's history.
Hussain Muhammad Ershad to transfer Manzoor to a non-combatant post in Dhaka as Commandant of the National Defence College. Manzoor was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Chittagong, where most of the freedom fighters were placed under him benefitting from the highest posts. Once the transer order was sent to the Manzoor, the coup was launched.
was carried out in Chittagong on 30 May 1981 the Military Coup de Eta failed. General Manzur wanted to speak to the nation on his side of the facts. The then Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General
Hussain Muhammad Ershad quickly ordered to suppress any such action and issued orders to kill as soon as capture. Manzoor attempted to escape, but was ultimately captured and killed on 2 June 1981.
Ironically Hussain Muhammad Ershad himself took over the country in less than a year's time, in the first and actual military coup de tat.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i army officer who was a war hero being a freedom fighter and Sector Commander of BDF
Bdf
BDF or Bdf may refer to:* Ballroom Dancers' Federation* Beiersdorf AG , a multinational corporation based in Hamburg, Germany.* Deutscher Fernschachbund, the German Correspondence Chess Federation...
Sector 8 during the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
from Pakistan. He was awarded valor under fire Bir Uttam by the Bangladeshi Government for his bravery in the liberation war. Manzur was appointed as the youngest divisional commander of Bangladesh Army
Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army is the land forces branch and the largest of the three uniformed service of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities in support of Bangladesh's security and defense strategies including defense of the nation's...
, GOC of Chittagong Cantonment – 24th Infantry Division.
Early life
General MA Manzur was born at village Gopinathpur under Kasba thana of ComillaComilla
Comilla is a city in south-eastern Bangladesh, located along the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. It is the administrative center of the Comilla District, part of the Chittagong Division. The Eastern Wing of Bangladesh Highway Police is located in Comilla....
district in 1940. His paternal home is at village Kamalpur in Chatkhil thana of Noakhali district. He passed senior Cambridge in 1955 and ISC examination in 1956 from the Sargoda Public School in Punjab. He joined the East Bengal Regiment as a commissioned officer of the then East Pakistan. He attended Staff College in Canada in 1958 where he obtained his PSC. After the war started, at that time Major Manzur was a Brigade Major
Brigade Major
In the British Army, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster"...
of a Para Commando Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
close to the Indian Border. He fled Pakistan on a daring escape with his family and few fellow officers across the border to India. From there, they made their way to Bangladesh and Manzur joined up with fellow officers from East Bengal. He quickly became a prominent officer within the ranks and won many battles in his sector. He commanded Sector – VIII during the Liberation War from September 1971 to victory on December 1971. Known for his tenacity, keen eye for strategy and deep loyalty from his fellow officers and senior NCOs, in 1975 he was promoted to colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. Around 1979/80, he was promoted to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
at the age of 41 and became one of the youngest general of a front line force in south-east Asia's history.
Role in assassination of Ziaur Rahman
What acted as a catalyst of the assassination of Zia was the decision of the then Chief of Army StaffChief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army
The Chief of the Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army is the professional head of the Bangladesh Army. By virtue of the eminence of the Bangladesh Army amongst the military forces of Bangladesh, he is also regarded as the senior-most defence official in the country...
Hussain Muhammad Ershad to transfer Manzoor to a non-combatant post in Dhaka as Commandant of the National Defence College. Manzoor was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Chittagong, where most of the freedom fighters were placed under him benefitting from the highest posts. Once the transer order was sent to the Manzoor, the coup was launched.
Capture and death
Although the assassination of President Ziaur RahmanZiaur Rahman
President Ziaur Rahman, Bir Uttam, was a Bangladeshi politician and general, who read the declaration of Independence of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971 on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He later became the seventh President of Bangladesh from 1977 until 1981...
was carried out in Chittagong on 30 May 1981 the Military Coup de Eta failed. General Manzur wanted to speak to the nation on his side of the facts. The then Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Hussain Muhammad Ershad quickly ordered to suppress any such action and issued orders to kill as soon as capture. Manzoor attempted to escape, but was ultimately captured and killed on 2 June 1981.
Ironically Hussain Muhammad Ershad himself took over the country in less than a year's time, in the first and actual military coup de tat.
Family and legacy
He left behind his wife and four children who have all migrated to the USA. A war hero and a sector commander of the Liberation War of Sector 8. No trial has yet been undertaken for his murder.See also
- Mascarenhas, Anthony. Bangladesh: A Legacy of Blood. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1986.
- Lifschultz, Lawrence. Bangladesh: The Unfinished Revolution. London: Zed Books, 1979.
- Ali, Tariq. Pakistan: military rule or people's power?". London: Cape, 1970.
- Court Documents for Family U.S. Asylum http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-2nd-circuit/1432898.html
- Expanded Court Document for Family U.S. Asylum listing the names of all four children http://www.bibdaily.com/pdfs/Manzur%202%207-16-07.pdf