Nation remembers martyred Maj Gen Rafiqul Islam on his 17th death anniversary

The nation is remembering valiant freedom fighter and army officer Maj Gen Md Rafiqul Islam on the 17th anniversary of his martyrdom.

Rafiqul Islam was born on 4 February 1956 in Banaripara upazila of Barishal District. At the age of only 15, he took part in the 1971 Liberation War as a civilian.

Later in 1976, he received a commission in the Bangladesh Army from the Bangladesh Military Academy while he was a second-year student at University of Dhaka.

Earlier, he studied at Banaripara High School and BM College Barishal.

After joining the army, Rafiqul began a distinguished operational career and played a significant role in various military operations. From the early stages of his service, he contributed to operations aimed at controlling insurgent groups in the remote areas of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

During his career, he served in several units including the 2nd, 15th, 30th, 45th and 46th East Bengal Regiments. From lieutenant to lieutenant colonel, he performed operational duties in multiple counterinsurgency missions in the hill tracts.

Throughout his career, he also led and participated in numerous national and international operations. Some of the notable missions in which he was involved include the 1971 Liberation War, Operation Dabanol, Operation Uttaran, Operation Clean Heart, Operation Hunting Tiger, the First Ivorian Civil War peacekeeping mission and rescue operations during Cyclone Sidr.

Apart from operational responsibilities, Rafiqul served in several key positions in the Bangladesh Army, including company commander of the President Guard Regiment, staff positions in military institutions, additional defence attaché at the Bangladesh High Commission in London, commander of the 305 Infantry Brigade, colonel staff of 24th Infantry Division and general officer commanding (GOC) of the 55 Infantry Division.

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Rafiqul had close ties with Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed for several decades, who was killed in the Bangladesh Rifles Mutiny in February 2009. Many of the officers killed in the Pilkhana tragedy had been his students or colleagues.

During the mutiny, defying instructions from the then prime minister and army chief Gen Moeen U Ahmed, he reportedly deployed troops under his command to help rescue army personnel trapped in several BDR camps in the Khulna region.

Rafiqul was deeply saddened by the BDR Mutiny and had even started to gather information regarding the event.

Just 14 days after the BDR mutiny, on 9 March 2009, Rafiqul died in a helicopter crash while serving as general officer commanding of the 55 Infantry Division in Jashore.

Although several investigations were conducted into the crash, the reports have not been made public.

Following his death, the government declared a national day of mourning on 11 March 2009, which was observed across the country and in Bangladesh missions abroad.

On the 17th anniversary of his death, many have paid tribute to Maj Gen Rafiqul Islam, remembering his sacrifice, bravery and patriotism as an enduring part of Bangladesh’s history.