.svg)
Quazi Sazzad Ali Zahir
Quazi Sazzad Ali Zahir | |
|---|---|
| thumb | |
| Born | April 11, 1951 |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Citizenship |  Pakistan (before 1971) Bangladesh |
| Known for | Participation in the Bangladesh Liberation war |
| Awards | Independence Award, Bir Protik, Padma Shri |
Lieutenant Colonel (Retd.) Quazi Sazzad Ali Zahir (born April 11, 1951) is a veteran of the Bangladesh Liberation War. The Bangladesh government awarded him the Bir Protik gallantary award for his bravery in the war. He was conferred with the Independence Award, Bangladesh's highest civilian in 2013 and India's fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri on November 9, 2021.[1][2][3]
Early life
Zaheer was born in Chausai, Daudkandi Upazila, Comilla District on 11 April 1951.[4] in East Pakistan now Bangladesh.
Career
Zahir joined the Pakistan Army at the end of 1969 as a cadet. In 1971, he was training as a senior cadet at the Kakul Military Academy in Pakistan.[5]
Zahir was commissioned in the Artillery Corps of the Pakistan Army in August. Posting is in 6th Field Artillery Regiment Sialkot.[6] When the Bangladesh Liberation war started, he fled from Pakistan at the end of August and came to India to join the war. He crossed the border with Pak Army deployment maps stuffed inside his boots and Rs. 20 in his pocket. Initially he was considered to be a Pakistani spy sent to distract the Indian Army prior to the launch of an invasion. He was interrogated by Indian Army officials before being taken to Pathankot for further grilling. Here he produced maps of troop deployments across the border. When established that he was not a spy but was a Pak defector who wanted to help with the war effort, he was sent to Delhi and lodged up in safe house for a further period of 9 months.[5]
Zahir joined the Bangladesh Liberation war in September 1971. He organized the 2nd Artillery Force under Sector 4 in the Sylhet region. At that time the Indian government gave six 105 mm artillery to the Mukti Bahini and with that a field artillery battery was formed for the Mukti Bahini. It is named Raushan Ara Battery. He was the co-captain of this group. Since October, the battery had assisted the Mukti Bahini Z Force in the greater Sylhet region with artillery fire support in various battles.[6]
After the liberation war, he has been at the vanguard of educating the next generation about all that happened during those turbulent years, during which millions of Bangladeshi patriots were tortured and sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom. Among his other accomplishments, he pioneered the concept of producing graphic novels for children, focusing on the Mukti Joddhas' martyrdom and the Indian Army's role in the liberation of Bangladesh.[7]
In 2013, Zahir was awarded the Bangladesh Independence Award, the highest civilian award, for his contribution to the liberation war.[8]
Zahir approached Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to provide award and recognition to Indian soldiers killed in the Bangladesh Liberation war. He is co-coordinating the project with the Government of Bangladesh to provide crests to Indian soldiers killed in the war.[9] He founded Shuddhoi Muktijoddho to provide recognition to Tribal veterans of Bangladesh Liberation war.[10]
He has been awarded Padma Shri for his contribution in the field of Public Affairs on 2021 by the president of India Shri Ramnath Kovind.[11]
Awards and honours
– Bir Protik Award, fourth highest gallantry award in Bangladesh.
– Swadhinata Padak in 2013, highest civilian award in Bangladesh.
– Padma Shri in 2021, fourth highest civilian award in India,
References
- ↑ "Liberation war veteran Quazi Sajjad Ali Zahir receives India's Padma Shri Award". Dhaka Tribune. 2021-11-09. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
- ↑ "PIB Press Release: This Year's Padma Awards announced". Pib.nic.in. Retrieved 2011-02-02.
- ↑ "Shinzo Abe, Tarun Gogoi, Ram Vilas Paswan among Padma Award winners: Complete list". The Times of India. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ↑ "Valour of ordinary people". The Daily Star. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 একাত্তরের বীরযোদ্ধাদের অবিস্মরণীয় জীবনগাঁথা, খেতাবপ্রাপ্ত মুক্তিযোদ্ধা সম্মাননা স্মারকগ্রহন্থ. জনতা ব্যাংক লিমিটেড. June 2012. p. 495. ISBN 9789843351449.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 একাত্তরের বীর মুক্তিযোদ্ধা (দ্বিতীয় খন্ড) (in Bengali). Prothom Prokashon. March 2013. p. 329. ISBN 9789849025375.
- ↑ Gupta, Jayanta (28 January 2021). "A genocide anywhere is a genocide everywhere". Times of India.
- ↑ "Eight receive Independence Awards". bdnews24.com. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
- ↑ Zaman, Mir Afroz (3 June 2019). "Bangladesh waiting for Indian clearance to hand over crests to families of martyred soldiers". United News of India. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- ↑ "Once we were heroes". The Daily Star. 2009-01-06. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
- ↑ "2 bangladeshis get indias padma award". United News of Bangladesh.