Top News Desk: In a poignant observance, today marks the 52nd year since the passing of Birshrestha Matiur Rahman. On this day in 1971, he met a heroic end in a tragic plane crash in Thatta, Pakistan.
Returning to Karachi from his native country on May 9, 1971, Matiur Rahman resumed his duties. However, his steadfast dedication to the cause of liberation led him to embark on a daring mission. On August 20, he endeavored to return to his homeland to partake in the liberation war. He commandeered a Pakistani military plane, employing great courage, subduing the apprentice pilot with chloroform.
Yet, the journey took an unexpected turn when the apprentice pilot, Rashed, regained consciousness near the Indian border. A fierce struggle ensued between Matiur and Rashed, culminating in a critical moment where Rashed triggered the plane’s ejection mechanism. Matiur bravely held his ground but was tragically ejected from the aircraft. The plane, flown by Rashed at low altitude, met its end in the Thatta area, a mere 35 miles from the Indian border.
Matiur Rahman’s lifeless body was discovered approximately half a mile from the crash site. He was laid to rest in the Class IV Graveyard at Masroor Airfield, Karachi. Adorning Birshrestha Matiur Rahman’s gravesite was the poignant words, “Idhar So Raha Hai Ek Gaddar” (Here lies a sleeping traitor).
Post-independence, the Government of Bangladesh posthumously gave Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman the honorific title of ‘Bir Shrestha’ on December 15, 1973. This distinction acknowledged his unparalleled courage, unwavering patriotism, and supreme sacrifice. In a remarkable moment 35 years later, on June 24, 2006, his remains were reinterred with national reverence at the Mirpur Martyr Intellectual Cemetery in Dhaka.
Born on November 29, 1941, in his ancestral residence on Agasadec Road, Dhaka, Matiur Rahman emerged as a shining embodiment of his nation’s aspirations. Enlisting in the Pakistan Air Force in 1961, he achieved the rank of Pilot Officer upon graduating from Risalpur PAF College in 1963. Serving as a flying officer during the Indo-Pakistani conflict in 1965, his exceptional contributions earned him a promotion to Flight Lieutenant in 1967.
Reported by: Habiba Sultana
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