Squadron Leader Munim Khan Majlish, psc

(Bangladesh Observer, The Independent, The New Nation, 21 November 2007)

1. It was another eventful day pact with meetings, commitments and routine official activities. I was particularly busy to investigate some current issues related to different matters involving BAF. My adjutant informed me that some people are waiting to see me about their personal problems and I have an appointment to call on a senior officer in the later part of the day. Suddenly an emergency call from the Control Tower had asked for our quick response to rescue on of our valiant soul of the motherland. “Crush, crush, crush; one F-7 aircraft had crushed at the eastern side of the airfield”. All my neurons had pushed me spontaneously towards the transport and rush for the possible assistance. By this time we came to know that one of the fighter aircraft (F-7MB) flown by Flight Lieutenant Enamul Kabir who was flying a training mission is seen falling at the eastern side of the Zia International Airport near the embankment of Turag river. We can easily guess the outcome of the aircraft, but we were not very sure about the fortune of its courageous pilot. Could he eject successfully or he had also returned to earth to serve the very motto of air force-“There is no greater glory than to serve its nation; there is no greater glory than to die for its motherland”.

2. An air force pilot, specially a fighter pilot is always encountering unknown challenges and winning the adversaries. “Airpower can be decisive in achieving the national objective and maintaining the territorial integrity of the country”- keeping such concept in mind a fighter pilot prepares and trains himself for performing his task in the best possible manner with the valuable resources offered by the nation. A fighter aircraft is nothing but a larger shell contained with fuel, avionics and off course explosives (missile, rocket or gun). In top of that shell is only the pilot who is manoeuvring such priceless master device. Flight Lieutenant Kabir also went for a training mission to achieve the operational excellence in orchestrating his beloved aircraft in its optimum capabilities along with his senior colleague Squadron Leader Kawser with another aircraft of similar type. After practicing different tactical manoeuvres in the training area they were returning to land on the runway. The pair leader had separated from the formation and came for a successful landing, but the fearless young buddy could not come back safe despites its gallant efforts to save the precious assets. His adored aircraft (integral part of a pilot) did not response to his desire, rather acted reverse and had crushed to earth. After failing his attempt to rescue the aircraft the courageous pilot had adopted the last alternative to rescue himself -another valuable asset of the land and had successfully ejected from the aircraft. The nation could smile despite its material loss to get back its brave combatant of soil.

3. Bangladesh is always proud of its heroic citizens. The nation is served in numerous occasions by the gallant dedication of its ordinary citizen in the past. The noble Liberation War was fought and won by the massive participation of daring countrymen along with the armed forces personnel. The nation is also proud to announce their volunteer committed efforts and scarifies whenever the dearly loved motherland was in need. We also appreciated such strength of our people and conserve such potency as a pride of national morale. The people of the country once again displayed their potential strength in need of national emergency and set example for the commitment to motherland. They had voluntarily started the rescue operations instantaneously and performed the major role alongside Bangladesh air Force personnel.

4. It was an ocean of human coming from everywhere towards the direction of the occurrence. I need not to depend on the exact location of the crush site obtained by the in flight BAF helicopter reporting from the spot. The flow of human influx ushered me towards that destination. When I was close to spot and the people around had understood that I was someone responsible to deal with the matter, they had escorted me in the quickest possible manner to the place of incidence. The sense of responsibility of the common people for the first time amazed me. However, many surprises for me were just ahead to be overwhelmed. The entire place of occurrence was encircled by the volunteers and well protected from the mob at a safe distance. Local leaders, mainly young jubilant strong built common people were coordinating the whole affair and waiting for our arrival to take over the control. Local elderly Chairman of Ward, young commissioner, other representatives of the local government were not only guiding the rescue operations, but also controlling their mass to remain in discipline manner. With our utter surprise we had witnessed that despite human losses and collateral damages of property the suffering common inhabitants of the locality were convinced for the noble cause of such unavoidable tragedy. They were not much worried about their own losses rather were anxious about the pilot, who was learnt to have survived.

5. Local residents, pedestrians and shopkeepers were astonished to witness that something was falling from the sky, which looked like a human with the parachute. Realizing the fact they moved towards the spot for possible help. The fortunate pilot was hanging above the ground as the parachute wire stuck with the nearby electric pole. They had immediately unwrapped the fearless pilot and took him to safe place. Shopkeepers or customers; retired service personnel or village politicians; school teachers or unemployed young political workers- all forgot their difference of opinion, race, religion or ideology. They were all united in this noble task of serving the nation. Without waiting for the arrival of medical personnel, they had moved him to a safe house and given all possible support to enable to pilot recovering the sudden shock. In the meantime someone had guided RAB personnel who were coincidentally patrolling the area to locate the pilot for further assistance. They had taken the injured pilot to the CMH (Combined Military Hospital) even before the arrival of the rescue helicopter. The great potential of our countrymen was once again displayed through their united effort to rescue a gallant combatant of the motherland.

6. The disabled aircraft ditched into a dwelling tin-shed house of 5/6 rooms inhabited by as number of families of working class. One of the rooms was completely smashed and others along with two of the neighbouring houses were partially damaged due to collateral effect of blast. Happily most of the dwellers were either at workplace or outside the house during the hours of daytime. The triumph of Bengal tigers in winning the adversaries was demonstrated by their spontaneous endeavour in rescuing the injured persons including an elderly woman, a mother and a child. Local volunteers without looking for their relatives or identity had taken them to a nearby clinic and onward to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) immediately. Other neighbours did not hesitate to take care of the detached infant members of the suffered families. BAF had taken the responsibilities of providing the best possible treatment to the injured persons in CMH and DMCH, however the volunteers had extended all out endeavor to support their fellow countrymen.

7. The world is particularly impressed by witnessing the great responsibilities shown by the local representatives to their people. They had taken initiatives in restoring an orderly manner in the rescue operations, and at the same time could convince their people about the reasoning of such incidence. The local people also shown proper respect to their leaders and followed the instructions by motivation. Together they had displayed a unique example of united effort in overcoming the challenge and achieve the ultimate objective. The younger generation of the country did not witness the great war of liberation, but they had learnt from the history about the victory and achieving independence by brave, courageous and committed endeavor of their insisters. Once again the military potential of our beloved civilian community was put on testing through the falling of a Bengal star from the sky. Once again the nation is proud to announce its triumph over any kind of challenges with the supremacy of its people. We are indeed proud of our Bangladeshi identity.