Hossain, Mohammad Anwar

Hossain, Mohammad Anwar (1948-1971) army officer, martyr in the War of Liberation. Mohammad Anwar Hossain was born on 5 May 1948 at village Sonapur in Shahrasti thana of Chandpur district. His father Md. Abdul Haque was a police officer and his mother was Nurjahan Begum. Anwar Hossain passed the SSC examination in 1965 and HSC examination in 1967 from Faujdarhat Cadet College. After studying for one year at East Pakistan University of Engineering and Technology under army scholarship, he joined the Pakistan Army. He got commission as a second lieutenant from Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul on 29 March 1970. He was then posted at First East Bengal Regiment.

In March 1971 Anwar Hossain was undergoing training at Jagadishpur with First East Bengal Regiment under the command of 107 infantry brigade of Jessore. But they were brought back to the brigade headquarters on 29 March on an emergency message. On 30 March, the West Pakistani brigade commander Brigadier Abdur Rahim Durrani issued orders to disarm the Bengal Regiment. When the soldiers of 25 Baluch Regiment and the 3-FF Regiment had an attempt to disarm the Bengal Regiment, the Bangali soldiers under Lieutenant Hafizuddin Ahmad and Second Lieutenant Mohammad Anwar Hossain revolted. They built up resistance against the Pakistani soldiers and came out of the cantonment. In a face to face encounter at Jessore cantonment, Anwar Hossain was killed by an enemy bullet shot.

The Bangladesh Government decorated Mohammad Anwar Hossain with the gallantry award of 'Bir Uttam' in recognition of his valour and the heroic contribution towards the security of the soldiers of First East Bengal Regiment. An educational institution in Dhaka Cantonment has been named after him as Shaheed Bir Uttam Lieutenant Anwar Girls School and College. [Keya Haider]