Mirza Aftabul Qader

Mirza Aftabul Qader was a Bangladesh Army officer who was killed in the Bangladesh Liberation War. He was posthumously awarded Bir Uttam by the government of Bangladesh.

Early life Qader was born in Lakshmipur, East Bengal, Pakistan, on 25 December 1948. He completed his SSC at Ananda Mohan College in Mymensingh and HSC at Anandamohan College. He entered the Dhaka University English Department.

Career While Qader was still a freshman at Dhaka University, he joined the 39 Long Course of Pakistan Military Academy on 16 November 1966. On 25 November 1968, he received his commission in the Pakistan Army and was stationed in the 40 Field Artillery Regiment. He arrived in Dhaka in February 1971 for a holiday. He witnessed the start of Operation Searchlight and the violence used by the Pakistan Army on 25 March 1971. He left home on 27 March 1971 to join the Bangladesh Liberation War. He initially joined up with Bengali members of the East Pakistan Rifles (present Border Guards Bangladesh), who were located near Shuvapur Bridge in Chittagong. He fought several battles there and in Rangamati district.

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