Abu Taher Mohammad Haider

Abu Taher Mohammad Haider (12 January 1942 – 7 November 1975 ) was a Bangladesh Army officer and recipient of Bir Uttom, the second highest military award in Bangladesh. He fought in the Bangladesh Liberation War as the second-in-command of the K force under Khaled Mosharraf. Later he became the sector commander of sector-2 from 22 September 1971. After the assassination of the president of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujib in a military coup; he joined a counter coup led by his former commander Major General Khaled Mosharraf. He was killed in a situation marred with confusion along with Khaled Mosharraf on 7 November 1975 by proponents of a counter coup led by Colonel Abu Taher.

Early life ATM Haider was born in Bhowanipore, Kolkata, West Bengal, on 12 January 1942. His father Mohammad Israil was a sub inspector in the Kolkata Police after which he worked as a lawyer; his mother was Hakimun Nesa. He studied in Binapani Primary School, Pabna. He graduated from Ramananda Government High School and Gov't Gurudayal College, Kishoreganj. He did his undergraduate in Lahore Islamia College and completed his graduate studies in 1963 from the Punjab University. He was posted at Pano Aqil, Kotli, and at Multan Cantonment where he stayed until 1969. On 9 September 1970, he was promoted to captain. He was transferred to Comilla Cantonment.

Major Haider arrived in Bangladesh from India in a helicopter with freedom fighter and political adviser of Sector 2 and 3, R. K. Chowdhury, on 14 December in Comilla. Victory was celebrated on 15 December in Jatrabari. The crowd, carrying Major Haider and Chowdhury on their heads, rejoiced at the crossroads of Jatrabari. Ziaur Rahman who had been confined in cantonment from 3 November to 6 November, was freed by supporters of Colonel Taher at very early hours of 7 November. However, in a fast-moving spiral of events, Haider along with Mosharraf and Colonel Huda, along with their batmen, were killed by few army officers, early hours on 7 November. Later Haider was buried in his hometown in Kishoreganj.