Matiur Rahman (military pilot)
| Matiur Rahman | |
|---|---|
Matiur Rahman ranked as Flt. Lt. (c.1967)
|
|
| Native name | মতিউর রহমান |
| Born |
29 November 1941 Dhaka, Bengal Presidency, British India (now Bangladesh) |
| Died | 20 August 1971 (aged 29) Thatta, West Pakistan |
| Allegiance |
 Pakistan (till March 1971) Bangladesh (after 1971) |
| Service/branch |
 Pakistan Air Force
|
| Years of service | 1963–71 (his death) |
| Rank | Flight Lieutenant |
| Service number | PAK/4367 |
| Unit | No. 2 Squadron |
| Battles/wars | Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 Bangladesh Liberation War |
| Awards | Bir Sreshtho |
| Spouse(s) | Milly Rahman |
Matiur Rahman (29 October 1941 – 20 August 1971) was a flight lieutenant of Pakistan Air Force and a recipient of Bir Sreshtho, Bangladesh's highest military gallantry award for his actions during the Liberation War of Bangladesh.
He attempted, to escape from Pakistan and join the Bangladesh Liberation War, to hijack a Lockheed T-33 aircraft (code named "Blue Bird") being flown by a 21 year old Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas, who was conducting his second solo flight. Rahman stopped the aircraft on the runway, climbed into the cockpit and knocked Minhas unconscious. He nearly reached the Indian border, but Rashid Minhas regained consciousness and diverted the plane. Both men struggled to control the low flying jet. Minhas then released the canopy, since he wasn't properly strapped in, Rahman flew out of the cockpit. The jet was flying too low for Minhas to recover. It shortly crashed nearby, killing him. For his support to the state of Bangladesh, Rahman was decorated by Bangladesh with the Bir Sreshtho award.
Matiur Rahman was born on 29 November 1941 in Old Dhaka Aga Sadek Road 109 in his ancestral houses "Mobarok Lodge". His father was Maulvi Abdus Samad and his mother was Syeda Khatun Mobarakunnesa. Among nine brothers and two sisters, Rahman was the sixth.
He completed his primary education at Dhaka Collegiate School. After that he was admitted into Pakistan Air Force School Sargodha in West Pakistan. On 15 August 1961, he joined the Pakistan Air Force Academy (then Pakistan Air Force College) at Risalpur. On 22 June 1963, Matiur Rahman was commissioned as a pilot officer from the 36th GD(P) Course and was posted at No. 2 Squadron of Mauripur Air Base (now Masroor) at Karachi in West Pakistan. After that he successfully completed the Jet Conversion Training on T-33 jet trainers in that base. He successfully passed the course with a mark of 75.66% and was earmarked for Fighter Conversion Training. Fighter Conversion Training took place in F-86 Sabre Jets, this course he passed with a mark of 81%. He was posted in Peshawar (in No.19 Squadron) due to his bright result in the Fighter Conversion Course.
...
Wikipedia