Shafaat Jamil

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Colonel Shafaat Jamil (Bengali: শাফাত জামিল), Bir Bikram (born 1940) is a former Bangladesh Army officer and a decorated freedom fighter.

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[edit] Early life

He was born on March 1, 1940. His father A.H. Karimullah was an East Pakistan Civil Service (Judicial) Officer. Jamil was educated at Dhaka College, University of Dhaka and Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul.

In 1964, he was commissioned in the Pakistan Army's East Bengal Regiment. He was a coursemate of General Pervez Musharraf, the present President of Pakistan.

[edit] Role in Bangladesh Liberation War

In March, 1971 Jamil became a Major of the Pakistan Army. On 27 March, 1971 he mutinied against the Pakistan Army with Bengali officers and soldiers of 4th East Bengal Regiment (nicknamed Baby Tigers) after hearing the news of Pakistan Army's genocide in East Pakistan/Bangladesh. As a Bangladesh Force (BDF)/ Mukti Bahini officer he fought against the Pakistani Force in Sector-2 in Bangladesh.

Later he became the Commanding Officer of 3rd East Bengal Regiment (nicknamed minor tigers) of Z Force Brigade under Lt. Col. Ziaur Rahman. 3rd East Bengal Regiment participated in Operations Bahadurabad Ghat, Dewanganj and the defence of Roumari, Northern Bangladesh. On 11 October, 1971 Major Shafaat Jamil's 3rd East Bengal Regiment participated in battle of Chattak, Sylhet, Bangladesh. However the Chattak Operation failed though the 3rd East Bengal Regiment killed 364 Pakistani soldiers. Major Shafaat Jamil lead his battalion in Radhanagar Operation. Jamil's battalion captured the Pakistani position where the Indian Army's Gurkha Regiment failed but Jamil was injured in the battle. He was taken to Shilong Military Hospital, Shilong, India.

[edit] Later career

After the Independence War of Bangladesh, Jamil became a Lt. Col. and was awarded Bir Bikram (the third highest gallantry award of Bangladesh. Later he became a Colonel and the Brigade Commander of 46 Infantry Brigade of Bangladesh Army. He helped Brigadier Khaled Mosharraf conduct a coup d'etat on November 3, 1975 against the regime of Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad and Ziaur Rahman.On 7 November this coup failed and Colonel Jamil was arrested. He was retired from the Bangladesh Army. Later he became a businessman. He lives in Dhaka, Bangladesh.


[edit] References

  • Source: "The War of Life: The Life of War" by Lt. Col. Nur Nabi Khan