Jan 26: Bangladesh’s first Army chief and sector commander of the 1971 Liberation War against Pakistan Maj Gen (retd.) K M Shafiullah died on Sunday. He was 90.
“He breathed his last while undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka,” the army said in a statement.
He was admitted to the hospital on January 2, the army said. He was suffering from multiple health complications like diabetes, hypertension, thyroid issues, fatty liver, and dementia.
Interim government’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus expressed deep shock at the death of Maj Gen (retd.) Shafiullah, saying he played an important role as a sector commander during the 1971 Liberation War.
“We remember with gratitude his contribution to the country and its people. People from all walks of life in Bangladesh will remember his heroic works forever with respect,” he said.
Shafiullah was the second-in-command of the Pakistani Army infantry’s Second East Bengal Regiment stationed in Joydebpur on the outskirts of Dhaka in 1971.
He led the “S” Force during the Liberation War and received the title of “Bir Uttam”. After the country achieved independence, he was appointed the first army chief.
Bangladesh’s founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was killed along with most of his family members in a military coup led by a small group of junior military officers on August 15, 1975, when Shafiullah was the army chief. The coup leaders later removed him from the position.
From 1976 to 1991, he served as Bangladesh’s ambassador to various countries, including Malaysia, Canada, Sweden and England.
Later, he joined now deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party and became a parliament member in 1996.
