DHAKA, Feb 15, 2022 (BSS)- Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) observed the 53rd death anniversary of martyr Sergeant Zahurul Haque with due solemnity on Tuesday.

On this day in 1969, Sergeant Zahurul Haque, a Bengali member of the Pakistan Air Force was killed by the Pakistan Army while being detained for Agartala conspiracy case in Dhaka Cantonment, said an ISPR press release here today.

Sergeant Zahurul Haque was a free-spirited patriotic soldier. He was arrested on December 1967 in the Agartala conspiracy case filed by the Pakistan government and kept in the Dhaka Central Jail. The case was later renamed as ‘State versus Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Others’. In this case Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was mentioned as the 1st accused and martyr Sergeant Zahurul Haque was mentioned as the 17th accused.

Under the Air Force Act, Sergeant Zahurul Haque was later held captive in Dhaka Cantonment. Ayub Khan was forced to withdraw the Agartala conspiracy case in the face of the mass uprising in 1969. But at the same time, Sergeant Zahurul Haque was shot dead by soldier of Pakistani Army while he was detained in Dhaka Cantonment on February 15, 1969.

In recognition of his outstanding contribution for the liberation of the country, a student hall of Dhaka University was named after ‘Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall’ and Bangladesh Air Force Base in Chittagong was named after Bangladesh Air Force Base Zahurul Haque in 1982.

He was awarded the ‘Swadhinata Padak’ by the Government of Bangladesh in 2018. On his death anniversary, a milad mahfil was arranged at the central mosque of Bangladesh Air Force Base Zahurul Haque, Chattogram after Zohr prayer seeking the divine blessing for the departed soul of the martyr and continued peace & prosperity of the country.

Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Admin) Air Vice Marshal M Sayed Hossain, Air Vice Marshal Md Zahidur Rahman, senior officers, airmen and other members of the Base attended the milad mahfil.