Stories and lessons not told in memory | Halek Hossain

 

Stories and lessons not told in memory - Photo: Collection

DHAKA, 13 February 2022 - Congratulations on the founding anniversary of New Horizons I am starting today's column by greeting the daily Naya Diganta, the millions of readers and well-wishers of the online and print editions of this magazine. Tomorrow, October 25, is the founding anniversary of Naya Diganta. Last week's column, dated October 18, was reminiscent. This week's column is also memorable.

73rd Army: Miniature

About the end of February 1973. At that time the size of Bangladesh Army was small; There were five newly formed brigades in five cantonments. Each of the commanders or brigade commanders of these brigades was a freedom fighter on the battlefield. There were fewer battalions or regiments in the brigades, less number of officers in the brigades and in the whole Bangladesh army, half of the number of directorates at the army headquarters. Because, there were not enough officers or enough experienced officers to manage them. Ninety percent of the officers in the Bangladesh Army at that time were freedom fighters and we knew each other, big or small. The small number of officers who were at the army headquarters or at various brigade headquarters or in different units and organizations were under a lot of work pressure. There was no lack of enthusiasm and sincerity. Lack of peacetime experience, infinite zeal, sincerity and maturity gained through war were being met. We fought and made Bangladesh independent. We got the opportunity or experience that thousands of army officers in different countries do not get; 

That is, we fought on the battlefield and liberated the country. The experience of serving in the peacekeeping army, known as the Peace Time Army, was limited to most officers, such as one to fifteen years. Giving examples: Major General KM Safiullah Bir Uttam was the then Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army and Major General Ziaur Rahman Bir Uttam was the Deputy Chief of Army Staff; Both were officers of the 12th Long Course of Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, commissioned in 1955, and in February 1973, they served for 18-19 years. Six months after February, in September, the Bangladesh government granted two years antidote seniority to freedom fighter officers. But we are talking about February 1973 and the job on the spot. In last week's column I wrote in detail about my own commission. My commission is dated September 7, 1980. So in the time I am talking about, in February '73, I was two years and five months old; I was the Captain and Acting Vice-Commander of the 2nd East Bengal Regiment. In today's column I am telling two stories; Both have a job relationship.

The first story

At the headquarters of the Bangladesh Army, the Directorate of Military Training and the Directorate of Intelligence - both supervised the offices (officers of the Artillery Corps and freedom fighters), the then Lieutenant Colonel AT Salahuddin, Bir Pratik. One day he phoned our office (2nd East Bengal Regiment, Dhaka Cantonment) and informed me that I was enrolling you in a six week training in India; Hope you have no problem. I said, ‘No sir, no problem.’ There was no Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB) for the newly born Bangladesh Army. That selection board needs to be set up. Although some of the Bengali officers detained in Pakistan had experience of serving in the Pakistan Army's ISSB in Quetta and Dhaka, at that time (February 1973) there was no one serving in the Bangladesh Army who had served in the ISSB in the Pakistan Army. Therefore, it was felt necessary to train a few officers in collaboration with the Indian Army, the nearest neighboring country. As usual, my name went for this and in the first week of March 1973, the five of us flew from Dhaka to New Delhi. Kamal Uddin, the then Squadron Leader of the Air Force, is now a retired Group Captain. 

The second was the then Major Syed Faruk Rahman (died after being sentenced to death). The third was the then Major (now retired Brigadier General) Daniel Islam. The fourth was the son of Sunamganj, the state minister of the eighties, the then Captain Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury and the fifth was myself. There are three types of examiners or members in the selection board. The first is the president and vice-president, who become the interviewing officer or the officer conducting the oral interview. The second type is the psychologist or psychologist, who does not usually talk to the candidates. The third type is the group testing officer or GTO, who spends roughly four to five hours in two days, giving a total of eight to ten hours to the candidates after conducting various tests or observations in the field or on the field. Among the five names mentioned above, Kamal, Farooq and Daniel were nominated for the post of interviewing officer. Iqbal and I were nominated for GTO training. According to Indian Army criteria, those who will be interviewing officers need a minimum of 15 years of work experience and those who will be GTOs will need a minimum of eight years of service.

The story of shorts and full pants

From Dhaka to Delhi. At that time our ambassador or high commissioner was in Delhi. A. R. Mallick. We stayed at the embassy guest house for one night or two. Then we reached Roorkee Cantonment which is included in Uttar Pradesh. On the first working day, I was introduced to someone who would be my direct instructor; Major Devendra Kumar Sharma or DK Sharma. Officers of the Armored Corps of the Indian Army, Original Unit 75 Lancers. His service lasted for 12 years. When I first heard that my job was only two and a half years old, Major Sharma said, "Ibrahim, you are a child." I said, 'Sure - no doubt and no alternative.' Then Sharma said, why? I replied, when my chief of staff puts on half-shirt, how do you want me to put on trousers. Translation: When my army chief wears shorts, how can I wear full pants? Mahatmya Sharma of the North did not understand. I explained to him. My Chief of Army Staff and Deputy Chief of Army Staff, commissioned in 1955, served as Sector Commander and Force Commander in the war, at the moment the rest of the senior officers are younger than them. Those who have served for eight or nine years are commanding the battalion and the brigade in case of emergency. So, how come Major Saheb, who has been working for you for at least eight years, in Roorkee?

Laughing, Sharma said, "Ibrahim, you are so clever!" Translation: Ibrahim, you are clever; I said, that's why he sent me. After eight or nine weeks of training in India, we returned and we set up a selection board for the Bangladesh Army in August-September 1973. Jobs are low, age is low, these words were not as important in the great liberation war of 1971, they are not applicable for many professions even at this moment. It is not necessary that in order to reach the leadership of a political party, the chairman of the hall committee or the chairman of the college committee, the chairman of the thana committee, the chairman of the district committee, the chairman of the divisional committee, the secretary of the central committee should be in all positions. , 4, 5, or 6 to lead such a serial. Accelerated promotion based on merit and action is recognized worldwide. Second story: the topic of studying in Staff College

The need for a staff college for the Bangladesh Armed Forces has been felt since the country became independent. But it is difficult to establish. The work was made possible with the help of the British government. In 1962, an agreement was reached between the two governments. The British Military Advisory Team arrived in Dhaka in early 1968 and assisted in the establishment of the Staff College. The team consisted of 8-10 senior and middle level members of the British Army. The college was renamed the Defense Services Command and Staff College; DSCSC for short; It was established in Mirpur Cantonment of Dhaka. The first few courses are of six months duration so that the officers who have accumulated back-log or arrears within three-four years can undergo the course. Of course only the candidates selected through competitive written test will do the course or still do. Then began the eleven-month course, which is roughly compatible with all the military forces in the world. All officers who want to improve their job want to take training in staff course or staff college; I am no exception.

The first initiative of admission test in Staff College

The first test was initiated in May-June-July 1970. I was forced to withdraw the first initiative. Explaining the reason. One night in June 1970, an attempt to stage a coup or army coup led by Lieutenant Colonel Didarul Alam, an officer of the Artillery Corps, was foiled five minutes before the scheduled time for the coup; In the successful activities of our detectives. I was then the Commander or Commanding Officer of the 7th East Bengal Regiment in Dhaka Cantonment; Rank Lieutenant Colonel. My worthy vice-captain was Major Sharif Aziz, the then class friend of mine at Fauzdarhat Cadet College (always talented, hardworking, friendly, soldier or staff and trusting officer). He is currently the Retired Brigadier General, Founder and Managing Director of Elite Force, one of the largest and most successful security companies in Bangladesh, among more than four hundred small and large security providers. Sharif and I both applied for the Staff College Admission Test. 

The atmosphere inside the cantonment became tense in the wake of Colonel Didar's failed coup. In order to prepare for the test, three or four weeks leave is essential for proper preparation. But authorities said Ibrahim and Sharif, the captain and vice-captain, could not go on holiday together. On the other hand, there is no time left to go one by one. By mutual consent I withdrew my application; I created an opportunity for Sharif to get leave and Sharif went on leave. Sharif did well in the exams and the two who finished first and second on the merit list both received government scholarships from the Malaysian military. They went to study in Kuala Lumpur on behalf of our army. Sharif was second on the merit list.

Admission test is the second initiative

In 1971, I submitted my application for re-admission test. I was then the General Staff Officer-One (abbreviated: GSO-1) at the Bangladesh Army Headquarters, the Directorate of Military Training or the Military Training Directorate; Rank Lieutenant Colonel. Tragedy struck on May 30, 1971. A coup d'etat or army coup was held under the leadership of the then GOC of Chittagong, Major General Abul Manzur (although the protagonist of this coup was another person; I will not give that details here; there are details in my book 'Mishrakathan'). As a result of that coup, the then president, Bir Uttam Ziaur Rahman, was killed at the Circuit House in Chittagong. Within two days the coup was suppressed. Within a few weeks, a court-martial was formed to try the surviving defendants.

The trial took place inside a well-known jail on the banks of Laldighi in Chittagong metropolis and the trial began. With the exception of the protagonist, serial number 1 to 3 of the public heroes or heroines of the coup were killed within 72 hours of the coup (the story of that murder is also very moving. But there is no place to tell here today). Most of the surviving accused were freedom fighter officers and were involved in a destructive game through a deceptive sport. Although each accused officer had the right to have one lawyer or defending officer (the officer defending the accused), the then army authorities sanctioned or nominated three army officers as defending officers for 29 persons. Two of the three were freedom fighters on the battlefield; I was the youngest of the two. I will not tell the story of the Court Martial here; In 'Misrakathan'. The thing is, I did not get time and leave for the admission test. For the second time, the application for participation in the admission test had to be withdrawn. The third and last initiative of the admission test

On March 24, 1972, a bloodless coup d'tat or military coup took place under the leadership of the then Chief of the Bangladesh Army Lieutenant General Hussein Muhammad Ershad. General Ershad took power by overthrowing the government led by President Abdus Sattar, elected by popular vote; Martial law was imposed. The Martial Law Authority, the Martial Law Authority, engages in various repressive activities. One of these tasks was to conduct investigations in various companies or offices with the help of military officers, sometimes with civilian officers and sometimes without civilian officers. I was included in such an investigation team (but in my mind's eye: I was hanged).

After working regularly in the Military Training Directorate, he had to be busy with the so-called investigation till 6-7 pm. The head of the investigation team was the then Brigadier Badruzzaman; Naturally he did not go out all the time. The other two members of the investigation team were Air Force Wing Commander Golam Mostafa and Assistant Commissioner of Police Mohammad Hanif. I didn't have time to prepare for the exam at all; There are only three or four weeks left for the exam. I submitted a written application to withdraw the application for participation in the admission test for the third time. The final power to approve or reject the application was vested in the Chief of the General Staff or the CGS. Major General Nuruddin Khan was CGS in '70 and '71 as well as in '72.

He knew me well, he loved me. Called me to the office. He scolded, threatened, intimidated and said, I am giving you two weeks off. He said he had to take the test. I worked day and night during the precious vacation I got to prepare. I took refuge in Major Selim Akhtar, who was working in the Staff College at that time and had a reputation for his well-planned and well-arranged work habits. We are both almost contemporary. Selim will test; Preparation over-complete; Revision in progress. I witnessed the revision; At his house from evening till 12 o'clock every night. I am still grateful to Selim and his wife. 

The test was done, the result came out, I became one of the first three. One scholarship each came from England and Malaysia just a month ago. I was selected to go to England through an oral examination through a four-member interview board. From October 1972 to December 1962, I studied for eight weeks at the Royal Military College of Science in Srevenham, and from January 1973 to November 20, 1963, at The Royal Staff College, Kimberley, 40 miles south of London. My critics said Ibrahim was clever; For the first two years he did not take the test so that he could go to Camberley. I would say, and still say, that God had ordained for me to study at the world-famous Staff College, Kimberley. I planned one way, but God's command was another way.

Pray to Allah for the right path

Kalyan Party was established on 4 December 2006. Our slogan is 'Politics for Change'. Our registration number is 031, brand watch. I took part in the December 2008 parliamentary elections to gain experience. In 2009-2010-2011, I was in a unique position in the field of politics. In search of a larger and more spectacular place in politics, namely the larger and more visible political space, I went to the alliance at the invitation of the like-minded big political party, the BNP. I did not participate in the January 2014 elections in agreement with the BNP. I did not accept the official political invitation to participate in it. Another election ahead. Like the two banks of a river, the political game of disintegration in various alliances is visible in the political arena. We are moving forward with strong confidence in the alliance. 

The person nominated by the alliance will be Ibrahim from Hathazari in Chittagong, InshaAllah. We have 12 more candidates in our party, but I can't say yet how many we can get in agreement with the main partner. Pray to Allah Almighty, our reputation, honor and the conviction of service to the country shining in our minds and the conviction of serving the religion may Allah Almighty keep us safe.