Shamsuzzaman (Bir Uttam)

Shamsuzzaman was born into a Sunni Bengali family in the village of Shonar Char in Meghna, Tipperah district, East Bengal, which was then a part of Pakistan (now Bangladesh). He was among the two sons and three daughters of Muhammad Dawlat Husayn and Begum Ayetunnesa. Out of his siblings, only his sister Begum Momtaz is still alive.[1]

Shamsuzzaman enrolled at the University of Dacca to study soil science. Bangladesh Liberation War began whilst he was in his third year of studies, and so he left to join the Mukti Bahini. He completed his training within 28 days and was then employed to the Eighth East Bengal Regiment supervised by the Z-Force. On 4 August, two companies of freedom fighters moved from the Assembly Area of Nakshi BOP (in Jhenaigati, Sherpur, under Sector No. 11) late at night and entered the FUP area. There were 25 soldiers in total but the rest of them were all quickly trained civilians. The two companies were divided into several platoons and Shamsuzzaman was a member of one of them. They fought the Pakistan Army in the border area. They all quietly stationed themselves at the fire base. Amin Ahmed Chowdhury (Bir Bikram) signalled an attack. At the same time, the freedom fighters continued to move towards the goal and the artillery fire began on both sides. The undertrained freedom fighters including Shamsuzzaman joined the soldiers, approached the Pakistani army position as some platoons fired with great courage and ferocity. At that time, a Pakistani artillery shell fell on them. Several freedom fighters were martyred by the shelling. The bodies of two or three were dismembered. The freedom fighters were somewhat dispersed. But Shamsuzzaman and some others did not lose morale. Due to their indomitable spirit, courage and heroism, the Pakistanis were cornered. They continued to flee the battlefield. Shamsuzzaman has reached within 50 yards of the BOP. Suddenly he was martyred in a landmine. Many others in the mukti bahini, including the captain, were injured. Even on the verge of victory, the freedom fighters could not succeed that day. The freedom fighters could not recover the bodies of many comrades, including Shaheed Shamsuzzaman. They had to retreat as the battlefield went in favour of the Pakistan Army.[2]