Mohiuddin Jahangir
Encyclopedia
Mohiuddin Jahangir was a Captain in the Bangladesh Army
during the 1971 Liberation War
. He was born in 1948 in the village of Rahimgonj under Babugonj upazilla of Barisal district. He was an officer in Sector 7 of the Muktibahini. He was killed in an attempt to break through enemy defences on the bank of the Mahananda River
. His initiative seriously undermined the Pakistani Army's resistance in the area; eventually the Muktibahini overcame and took the position from the Pakistan army. The main gate of Dhaka Cantonment
, "Shaheed Jahangir Gate", is named in his honour.
He was awarded the highest recognition of bravery in the Bangladesh Army, Bir Sreshtho
.
. His primary education was at the primary school of thana Muladi. He achieved scholarships in talent pool in his 5th and 8th grade. He passed his SSC examination from Muladi Mahbudjan High School in 1964. He finished his HSC from the Barisal BM College. In 1967 he enrolled at the department of Statistics at the University of Dhaka
. On 5 October 1967 he joined the armed forces as a cadet at the Pakistan Military Academy
. After successfully completing his training with the 15th war course, Jahangir was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. Later he was posted at 173 Engineer's Battalion in Multan
. After working with the Battalion for six months, he was shifted to Military College of Engineering in Risalpur
. After finishing the 13-month long training he took bomb-disposal training.
. On 10 June he took a few days leave and went back to Risalpur. One day later, he started towards the Sialkot
border to reach India. He managed to cross the border safely and joined the Mukti Bahini
at Mehdipur under Maldah district in West Bengal
. On 3 July, he became a captain of sector 7. He was given the responsibility to fight at the Chapai Nawabganj
border at Rajshahi
district. In December he was again given the same duty of conquering Chapai Nawabganj. On 14 December he died after being shot during a battle near Nawabganj. He was buried near Shona Masjid premises and later was posthumously declared “Bir Shrestho”.
and marched towards the city. At this point Mohiuddin Jahangir failed to establish any advantage over the enemy, so he continued with his team and crossed Mahananda and camped at Rehaichar before dawn. He intended to destroy one of the light machine gun bunker of the Pakistan Army and crawled towards it. He managed to get close to the bunker and threw a grenade, but was shot dead from another bunker. He was buried in Choto Shona Mosque premises at Mehdipur where most of his activities had taken place during the war. Later he was announced Bir Shrestho.
Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army is the land forces branch and the largest of the three uniformed service of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities in support of Bangladesh's security and defense strategies including defense of the nation's...
during the 1971 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....
. He was born in 1948 in the village of Rahimgonj under Babugonj upazilla of Barisal district. He was an officer in Sector 7 of the Muktibahini. He was killed in an attempt to break through enemy defences on the bank of the Mahananda River
Mahananda River
The Mahananda River is a trans-boundary river that flows through the Indian states of West Bengal and Bihar, and Bangladesh. Right bank tributary Mechi forms part of Nepal's eastern boundary with West Bengal and the Kankai crosses out of Nepal.-Course:...
. His initiative seriously undermined the Pakistani Army's resistance in the area; eventually the Muktibahini overcame and took the position from the Pakistan army. The main gate of Dhaka Cantonment
Dhaka Cantonment
Dhaka Cantonment is a cantonment located in the northern part of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The headquarters of Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force are situated within this cantonment...
, "Shaheed Jahangir Gate", is named in his honour.
He was awarded the highest recognition of bravery in the Bangladesh Army, 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....
.
Early life
Mohiuddin Jahangir was born on 8 March 1949 at Rahimganj village under Babuganj upazila in Barisal districtBarisal District
Barisal is a district in southern Bangladesh. It is also the headquarters of Barisal Division.-Geography and climate:Latitude: 22.75, Longitude: 90.36, Altitude: 4....
. His primary education was at the primary school of thana Muladi. He achieved scholarships in talent pool in his 5th and 8th grade. He passed his SSC examination from Muladi Mahbudjan High School in 1964. He finished his HSC from the Barisal BM College. In 1967 he enrolled at the department of Statistics at the University of Dhaka
University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka is the oldest university in Bangladesh. It is a multi-disciplinary research university and is among the top universities in the region. Established on July 21, 1921, as per the Government of India Act, 1920, it was modelled on the Universities in England and soon gained...
. On 5 October 1967 he joined the armed forces as a cadet at the Pakistan Military Academy
Pakistan Military Academy
The Pakistan Military Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service military academy. It is located at Kakul near Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan....
. After successfully completing his training with the 15th war course, Jahangir was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. Later he was posted at 173 Engineer's Battalion in Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
. After working with the Battalion for six months, he was shifted to Military College of Engineering in 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...
. After finishing the 13-month long training he took bomb-disposal training.
Involvement in the war
In 1971 Mohiuddin Jahangir was working at the construction field at KarakoramKarakoram
The Karakoram, or Karakorum , is a large mountain range spanning the borders between Pakistan, India and China, located in the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan , Ladakh , and Xinjiang region,...
. On 10 June he took a few days leave and went back to Risalpur. One day later, he started towards the Sialkot
Sialkot
Sialkot is a city in Pakistan situated in the north-east of the Punjab province at the foothills of snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. It is the capital of Sialkot District. The city is about north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometers from Indian-controlled Jammu.The...
border to reach India. He managed to cross the border safely and joined the Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini , also termed as the "Freedom Fighters" or FFs, collectively refers to the armed organizations who fought against the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. It was dynamically formed by Bengali regulars and civilians after the proclamation of Bangladesh's independence on...
at Mehdipur under Maldah district in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. On 3 July, he became a captain of sector 7. He was given the responsibility to fight at the Chapai Nawabganj
Nawabganj District
Chapai Nawabganj is a district in Northern Bangladesh. It is a part of the Rajshahi Division. Originally it was a subdivision under Malda district. In 1947, this was severed from Malda and was given to East Pakistan as a sub-division of Rajshahi district...
border at Rajshahi
Rajshahi District
Rajshahi District is a district in north-western Bangladesh. It is a part of the Rajshahi Division. The metropolitan city of Rajshahi is in Rajshahi District.-Geography:...
district. In December he was again given the same duty of conquering Chapai Nawabganj. On 14 December he died after being shot during a battle near Nawabganj. He was buried near Shona Masjid premises and later was posthumously declared “Bir Shrestho”.
Death
In December Mohiuddin Jahangir was made the captain of a team in order to take control of Chapai nawabganj from the Pakistanis. He set his camp at a place called Barghoria at the west of Nawabganj on 10 December. On 13 December Mohiuddin Jahangir divided his force into three groups in order to attack enemy camps at Chapainababganj and Rajshahi. One team, led by Lieutenant Rafiq, crossed Mohananda and proceeded towards Rohonpur-Nachole-Anupura and Nawabganj. The second team crossed the Mahananda RiverMahananda River
The Mahananda River is a trans-boundary river that flows through the Indian states of West Bengal and Bihar, and Bangladesh. Right bank tributary Mechi forms part of Nepal's eastern boundary with West Bengal and the Kankai crosses out of Nepal.-Course:...
and marched towards the city. At this point Mohiuddin Jahangir failed to establish any advantage over the enemy, so he continued with his team and crossed Mahananda and camped at Rehaichar before dawn. He intended to destroy one of the light machine gun bunker of the Pakistan Army and crawled towards it. He managed to get close to the bunker and threw a grenade, but was shot dead from another bunker. He was buried in Choto Shona Mosque premises at Mehdipur where most of his activities had taken place during the war. Later he was announced Bir Shrestho.