Ahmed, Ziauddin

Ziauddin Ahmed

Ahmed, Ziauddin (1952-2017) valiant freedom fighter, sub-sector commander of sector 9 during the Liberation War, army major, one of the witnesses of Bangabandhu’s assassination. Ziauddin Ahmed was born on 1 January 1952 in Sadar upazila of Pirojpur district. His father’s name is Advocate Aftabuddin Ahmed and mother’s name is Sahida Begum. His real name is Ali Haider Ziauddin, but he is widely known as Major Ziauddin. He joined the Pakistan Army in 1969 after passing Intermediate from Government Suhrawardy College, Pirojpur and was commissioned on 6 September 1970. It was only after he joined the army that he became aware of the disparity between the two wings of Pakistan. He was a lieutenant at the time of the Liberation War.

On 21 March, 1971, Ziauddin Ahmed returned to his home in Pirojpur from Pakistan on leave. On 25 March, when the Pakistani military junta started killing unarmed Bengalis in the name of Operation Searchlight, he immediately joined activities in the Liberation War following Bangabandhu’s declaration of independence on 26 March and stared the fight for the freedom of his motherland. He emphasized the formation of guerilla forces to fight against the formidable Pakistani forces and he chose Sundarbans as a suitable place for guerrilla warfare. He served as the Commander of the Sundarbans sub-sector under the 9th Sector, when the sector-wise war broke out.

Immediately after the Awami League’s public meeting in Pirojpur on 26 March, the mob seized the treasury and looted all the weapons. Some of these were captured by Ziauddin Ahmed. On that day, he started imparting training to youths with those at the Bairagi house next to his house in the Pirojpur town. On 27 March, he started the formal training in the government school ground with about 20 sepoys, lansnaiks, havildars, subedars and students. In a day or two thousands of people gathered here and 1400 people were selected for training. At that time, Ziauddin Ahmed was accompanied by more than two hundred members of army, navy, air and ansar forces. Ziauddin Ahmed formed Muktifauz including them. They had 240 rifles looted from the treasury. Muktifauz gave ‘guard of honor’ to Advocate Enayet Hossain Khan MNA. At the same time, the Liberation War Management Council was formed in Pirojpur headed by Enayet Hossain Khan MNA. The Liberation Army worked under this council.

At the beginning of April, under the leadership of Ziauddin Ahmed, the police of Kawkhali, Kathalia, Bhandaria, Mathbaria and Sharankhola police stations were disarmed and their weapons were handed over to the Freedom Fighters. Later, Ziauddin Ahmed established onr hundred bases in the Sundarbans and built a huge army of about 14,000 Freedom Fighters. For 9 months of the Liberation War, he and his army fought valiantly in the area and defeated the Pakistani army in many battles. His name spread far and wide as a fearless fighter and a skilled organizer. Ziauddin Ahmed was praised for submitting a sack of gold and ornaments collected in various operations during the Liberation War to the Bangladesh government treasury in Kolkata through General MAG Osmani.

After independence, Ziauddin Ahmed joined the Bangladesh Army. He was first promoted to the rank of captain and in late 1974, to major. Ziauddin Ahmed was serving in Defense Intelligence Agency in 1975. On 15 August, 1975, Major Ziauddin Ahmed was dismissed from the service and he faced trial after the brutal murder of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members. Major Ziauddin Ahmed was convicted and sentenced to 14 year imprisonment on charge of involvement in 7 November (1975) sepoy uprising. He was later acquitted in a judicial process. Major Ziauddin Ahmed was one of the witnesses in the murder case of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In 1989, he was elected Chairman of Pirojpur Municipality. Later, he developed business and trade centered round Sundarbans. Apart from business, he engaged himself in various service activities including financial security of fishermen at Dublar Char in Sundarbans, suppression of pirates, and construction of cyclone centers to deal with disasters. He wrote two books narrating his war-time experiences in Sundarbans.

Ziauddin Ahmed suffered from multiple diseases and breathed his last while under treatment in Singapore on 27 July, 2017 at the age of 67. His was brought from Singapore to Dhaka and was taken to the National Shaheed Minar on July 30 for people from all walks of life to pay their respects. He was buried with state honors next to his parents’ graves at his home in Pirojpur on 1 August. A condolence proposal was adopted in the Cabinet meeting on his death. His wife’s name is Kaniz Mahmuda Papri. They have two sons and two daughters. [Maniruzzaman Shahin]