Lesson 2/35 min
The seven Bir Sreshtho
Army (3)
| Name | Rank | Born | Died | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mostafa Kamal | Sepoy (4 East Bengal) | 1947, Bhola | 18 April 1971, Daruin, Akhaura | 2 |
| Hamidur Rahman | Sepoy (1 East Bengal) | Sources differ (see the note below) | 28 October 1971, Dhalai, Kamalganj, Maulvibazar | 4 |
| Mohiuddin Jahangir | Captain (Engineers) | 7 March 1949, Babuganj, Barisal | 14 December 1971, Chapai Nawabganj | 7 |
East Pakistan Rifles (2)
| Name | Rank | Born | Died | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Munshi Abdur Rouf | Lance Naik | 8 May 1943, Salamatpur, Boalmari, Faridpur | April 1971 (the date is disputed), Naniarchar, Rangamati | 1 |
| Nur Mohammad Sheikh | Lance Naik | 26 February 1936, Mahiskhali, Narail | 5 September 1971, Goalhati, Jessore | 8 |
Navy and Air Force (1 each)
| Name | Force and rank | Born | Died | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruhul Amin | Navy; Engine Room Artificer | June 1935, Baghchapra (Noakhali region) | 10 December 1971, in the river near Khulna, during the Mongla operation | 2 |
| Matiur Rahman | Air Force; Flight Lieutenant | 29 November 1941, Dhaka | 20 August 1971, Thatta, Pakistan | — |
Counting by force
- Army 3, EPR 2, Navy 1, Air Force 1
- Matiur Rahman was serving in Pakistan; his attempt to hijack the T-33 trainer (code-named ‘Bluebird’) ended in a crash at Thatta
- Ruhul Amin was in the engine room of the gunboat ‘Palash’; he was killed after an air attack during the Mongla port operation
- The last Bir Sreshtho to fall: Mohiuddin Jahangir (14 December 1971)
Where they lie
- Mostafa Kamal: Daruin village, Akhaura, Brahmanbaria
- Munshi Abdur Rouf: Naniarchar, Rangamati
- Nur Mohammad Sheikh: Kashipur, Sharsha, Jessore
- Mohiuddin Jahangir: the Chhota Sona Masjid compound, Chapai Nawabganj
- Matiur Rahman (2006) and Hamidur Rahman: first buried in Pakistan and Tripura; later brought to Dhaka and laid to rest at the Martyred Intellectuals graveyard in Mirpur
Watch out: Sources disagree on the date Munshi Abdur Rouf was killed: books say 20 April, Banglapedia says 8 April. So only April 1971 is given here. Mostafa Kamal's date is 18 April; one book gives 17 April.
Watch out: Sources disagree on Hamidur Rahman's birth year and birthplace, so his birth is not given. The claim that he was the ‘youngest Bir Sreshtho’ depends on that year, so it is not used here either. His date of death, 28 October 1971, is certain. Ruhul Amin's rank is Engine Room Artificer in Banglapedia; ‘Squadron Leader’ is wrong.
Memory trick: Sectors: Kamal 2, Ruhul 2, Rouf 1, Nur Mohammad 8, Hamidur 4, Jahangir 7. Matiur was in Pakistan, so he has no sector.
Check yourself
Who is the Navy's Bir Sreshtho, and who is the Air Force's?
At a glance
- 1
The seven: Mostafa Kamal, Hamidur Rahman and Mohiuddin Jahangir (Army); Munshi Abdur Rouf and Nur Mohammad Sheikh (EPR); Ruhul Amin (Navy); Matiur Rahman (Air Force).
- 2
Ranks: sepoys Kamal and Hamidur; lance naiks Rouf and Nur Mohammad; Captain Jahangir; Flight Lieutenant Matiur; Engine Room Artificer Ruhul Amin.
- 3
Sectors: Kamal 2, Ruhul Amin 2, Rouf 1, Nur Mohammad 8, Hamidur 4, Jahangir 7.
- 4
Mohiuddin Jahangir fell on 14 December 1971 (the last of the seven); he lies in Chapai Nawabganj.
- 5
Matiur Rahman died at Thatta on 20 August 1971; Hamidur Rahman on 28 October 1971; Nur Mohammad on 5 September 1971; Ruhul Amin on 10 December 1971.
- 6
Matiur and Hamidur were later brought to Dhaka and laid to rest at the Martyred Intellectuals graveyard in Mirpur.