Abul Manzoor

Muhammad Abul Manzur
Nickname	Manzoor
Born	Comilla, Bengal, British India
Died	Chittagong, Bangladesh
Allegiance	Pakistan  Bangladesh Forces  Bangladesh
Service/branch	Pakistan Army Bangladesh Army
Years of service	1952–1981
Rank	Major General
Unit	Infantry Para Commando
Commands held	Sector – VIII Chief of General Staff 24th Division, Chittagong Cantonment
Battles/wars	Liberation War of Bangladesh 1971
Awards	Bir Uttom
Relations	Rana Yasmeen Manzur (Spouse) Children:- Zoheb Manzur Shafqat Muhammed Manzur Rubana Manzur Karishma Manzur

Major General Muhammad Abul Manzur (1940–1981) was a career Bangladeshi army officer who was a war hero being a freedom fighter and Sector Commander of BDF Sector 8 during the Bangladesh Liberation War from Pakistan. He was awarded valor under fire Bir Uttam by the Bangladeshi Government for his bravery in the liberation war. Manzur was appointed as the youngest divisional commander of Bangladesh Army, GOC of Chittagong Cantonment – 24th Infantry Division.

Early life

General MA Manzur was born at village Gopinathpur under Kasba thana of Comilla district in 1940. His paternal home is at village Kamalpur in Chatkhil thana of Noakhali district. He passed senior Cambridge in 1955 and ISC examination in 1956 from the Sargoda Public School in Punjab. He joined the East Bengal Regiment as a commissioned officer of the then East Pakistan. He attended Staff College in Canada in 1958 where he obtained his PSC. After the war started, at that time Major Manzur was a Brigade Major of a Para Commando Brigade close to the Indian Border. He fled Pakistan on a daring escape with his family and few fellow officers across the border to India. From there, they made their way to Bangladesh and Manzur joined up with fellow officers from East Bengal. He quickly became a prominent officer within the ranks and won many battles in his sector. He commanded Sector – VIII during the Liberation War from September 1971 to victory on December 1971. Known for his tenacity, keen eye for strategy and deep loyalty from his fellow officers and senior NCOs, in 1975 he was promoted to colonel. Around 1979/80, he was promoted to Major General at the age of 41 and became one of the youngest general of a front line force in south-east Asia's history.

Role in assassination of Ziaur Rahman

What acted as a catalyst of the assassination of Zia was the decision of the then Chief of Army Staff Hussain Muhammad Ershad to transfer Manzoor to a non-combatant post in Dhaka as Commandant of the National Defence College.^[1] Manzoor was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Chittagong, where most of the freedom fighters were placed under him benefitting from the highest posts.^[2] Once the transer order was sent to the Manzoor,^[2] the coup was launched.

Capture and death

Although the assassination of President Ziaur Rahman was carried out in Chittagong on 30 May 1981 the Military Coup de Eta failed. General Manzur wanted to speak to the nation on his side of the facts. The then Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad^[1] quickly ordered to suppress any such action and issued orders to kill as soon as capture. Manzoor attempted to escape, but was ultimately captured and killed on 2 June 1981.^[3] Ironically Hussain Muhammad Ershad himself took over the country in less than a year's time, in the first and actual military coup de tat.

Family and legacy

He left behind his wife and four children^[4][5] who have all migrated to the USA. A war hero and a sector commander^[6] of the Liberation War of Sector 8. No trial has yet been undertaken for his murder.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "BBC Online". BBC News. 30 May 1981. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/30/newsid_4401000/4401129.stm. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Genesis, Maturation and Distortion of the Bangladeshi Army". Samaj.revues.org. http://samaj.revues.org/document230.html. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
3. ^ Banglapedia
4. ^ "Docket Nos. 03-40052-ag(L), 03-40054-ag(con), 03-40056-ag(con), 03-40058-ag(con). – MANZUR v. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY – US 2nd Circuit". Caselaw.findlaw.com. http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-2nd-circuit/1432898.html. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
5. ^ http://www.bibdaily.com/pdfs/Manzur%202%207-16-07.pdf
6. ^ "Sector Commanders Forum". Sector Commanders Forum. 14 April 2008. http://www.sectorcommandersforum.org. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 

See also

• Mascarenhas, Anthony. Bangladesh: A Legacy of Blood. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1986.
• Lifschultz, Lawrence. Bangladesh: The Unfinished Revolution. London: Zed Books, 1979.
• Ali, Tariq. Pakistan: military rule or people's power?". London: Cape, 1970.
• Court Documents for Family U.S. Asylum http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-2nd-circuit/1432898.html
• Expanded Court Document for Family U.S. Asylum listing the names of all four children http://www.bibdaily.com/pdfs/Manzur%202%207-16-07.pdf

Persondata
Name	Monjur, Abdul
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1940
Place of birth	Comilla, Bengal, British India
Date of death	1981
Place of death	Chittagong, Bangladesh