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Matiur Rahman (Bangla: মতিউর রহমান) or Shaheed M. Matiur Rahman (born February 21, 1945 in Dhaka - died August 20 1971) was a Flight Lieutenant in the Pakistan Air Force when the Liberation War broke out. His date of birth is sometimes mentioned as 29 November 1941.
He received his primary education at Dhaka Collegiate School. Next he got himself admitted into Pakistan Air Force Public School at Sargoda in (West) Pakistan. After completing his twelfth class course there he entered Pakistan Air Force Academy. He was commissioned in June 1963 and was posted at Risalpur, (West) Pakistan. He successfully completed the Jet Conversion Course in Karachi before he was appointed a Jet Pilot in Peshawar.
On August 20, 1971 he attempted to pilot a T-33 trainer from Karachi, Pakistan to India in order to defect from the Pakistan Air Force and join the liberation movement of Bangladesh. He didn't make it though, as the other pilot Rashid Minhas in the plane forced it to crash.
For this attempt, he was awarded the Bir Sreshtho by Bangladesh which is the highest honor given. The Bangladesh Air Force's Air Base at Jessore is also named for him. This same base is home to the air force academy of Bangladesh.
Interestingly enough, Rahman is viewed in a negative light in Pakistan. This is due to the fact that he tried to defect, but more importantly because the pilot who flew with him, Rashid Minhas is viewed as a hero in Pakistan. Minhas is given almost parallel treatment in Pakistan and was awarded that nation's highest award the Nishan-E-Haider and also has an air base named for him. Official accounts of Minhas' actions in Pakistan never include the name of Rahman. And likewise, official accounts of Rahman's actions do not include the name of Minhas in Bangladesh.
His remains are still at Masroor Air Force Base, Pakistan. In April 2006, the Government of Bangladesh announced its plans to bring back the remains of Matiur Rahman to Bangladesh.
The base of Bangladesh Air Force in Jessore has been named Matiur Rahman Air Base.
See also
References
- BD to bring back body of war hero from Pakistan, The Daily Times, Pakistan, April 19, 2006.
- Pakistan Agrees to Return Remain of Bangali Pilot, The Daily Times, Pakistan, April 20, 2006.