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Matiur Rahman (military pilot)
Encyclopedia
Matiur Rahman or M. Matiur Rahman (October 29, 1941 in Dhaka
- August 20, 1971) was a Flight Lieutenant
in the Pakistan Air Force
when the Liberation War
broke out. His date of birth is sometimes given as 29 November 1941.
For his attempt to defect from the Pakistan Air Force
, he was decorated with the Bir Sreshtho
award by Bangladesh
which is the highest honor given. The Bangladesh Air Force
's Air Base at Jessore is also named after him.
. Next he was admitted into PAF Public School, Sargodha in West Pakistan
. After completing his twelfth class course there he entered Pakistan Air Force Academy
. He was commissioned on 22 June 1963 in the 36th GD(P) Course 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
.
trainer from Karachi
, Pakistan
to India
in order to defect from the Pakistan Air Force
and join the Liberation movement of Bangladesh
. The T-33 aircraft was code-named 'Bluebird'. However, Matiur Rahman could not take the plane out of Pakistani territory. The plane crashed in Thatta, 40 kilometres near the India
n border because of the struggle to regain control of the plane by a Pakistani Air Force pilot, Rashid Minhas
(a national hero of Pakistan
). His body, which was found near the crash site, was buried at the military graveyard at Masroor Air Base. Matiur's widow, Milly, and his two infant daughters were imprisoned for a month by Pakistan Air Force, and were released on September 29, 1971.
After over 30 years of negotiations, Motiur's body was finally returned to Bangladesh on June 24, 2006 for a ceremonial and highly symbolic reburial in 2006. He was buried at the Martyred Intellectuals Graveyard, in Mirpur, Dhaka, with full military honours. His original burial in a nondescript grave in Pakistan had been a sore point between Bangladesh and Pakistan for decades.
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
- August 20, 1971) was a Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
in the Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
when the Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
broke out. His date of birth is sometimes given as 29 November 1941.
For his attempt to defect from the Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
, he was decorated with the Bir Sreshtho
Bir Sreshtho
The Bir Sreshtho is the highest military award of Bangladesh. It was awarded to seven freedom fighters who showed utmost bravery and died in action for their nation. They are considered martyrs....
award by Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
which is the highest honor given. The Bangladesh Air Force
Bangladesh Air Force
The Bangladesh Air Force , is the air arm of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. Bangladesh Air Force currently employs more than 22,000 personnel including 600+ Pilots.-History:...
's Air Base at Jessore is also named after him.
Education and career
He had received his primary education at Dhaka Collegiate SchoolDhaka Collegiate School
Dhaka Collegiate School is a secondary school in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest school in Dhaka and one of the oldest and prestigious institutions in the country for more than a century.-History:...
. Next he was admitted into PAF Public School, Sargodha in West Pakistan
West Pakistan
West Pakistan , common name West-Pakistan , in the period between its establishment on 22 November 1955 to disintegration on December 16, 1971. This period, during which, Pakistan was divided, ended when East-Pakistan was disintegrated and succeeded to become which is now what is known as Bangladesh...
. After completing his twelfth class course there he entered Pakistan Air Force Academy
Pakistan Air Force Academy
"RAF Risalpur", "Risalpur Airbase/Airfield" & "Pakistan Air Force/PAF Base Risalpur" redirects here.The Pakistan Air Force Academy also known as PAFA, is an accredited co-educational four-year college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the Pakistan Air Force...
. He was commissioned on 22 June 1963 in the 36th GD(P) Course and was posted at Risalpur
Risalpur
Risalpur is a city in Nowshera District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on the Nowshera-Mardan Road. It is nearly 45 km from Peshawar and 15 km from Mardan and is located at 34°4'52N 71°58'21E. In a basin some 1014 feet above sea level, it is bounded on the south and west by the Kabul and...
, West Pakistan. He successfully completed the Jet Conversion Course in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
before he was appointed a Jet Pilot in Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
.
Death
On August 20, 1971 he attempted to hijack a T-33T-33 Shooting Star
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
trainer from Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in order to defect from the Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
and join the Liberation movement of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. The T-33 aircraft was code-named 'Bluebird'. However, Matiur Rahman could not take the plane out of Pakistani territory. The plane crashed in Thatta, 40 kilometres near the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n border because of the struggle to regain control of the plane by a Pakistani Air Force pilot, Rashid Minhas
Rashid Minhas
Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas or Rashid Minhas Shaheed, NH, was a Pilot Officer in the Pakistan Air Force during the 1971 Pakistan-India War. Rashid Minhas, a newly commissioned officer at that time, is the only PAF officer who received the highest valor for his actions...
(a national hero of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
). His body, which was found near the crash site, was buried at the military graveyard at Masroor Air Base. Matiur's widow, Milly, and his two infant daughters were imprisoned for a month by Pakistan Air Force, and were released on September 29, 1971.
Alternate theory
During the jostle, Motiur after realizing that the plane will crash due to the struggle, somehow pressed the eject button and Motiur was thrown out of the plane. Motiur had no parachute with him and, thus, plunged to his death.Grave transfer