Khaled Mosharraf

Khaled Mosharraf (Bangla: খালেদ মোশাররফ) was a Bangladeshi military officer who was a key commander of the Mukti Bahini during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He led a military coup against the politicians and military officers who had seized power in Bangladesh in 1975, but was himself overthrown and assassinated shortly afterwards.

Early life and army career

Khaled Mosharraf was born in the village of Mosharrafganj in Islampur, Jamalpur District of the province of Bengal, British India (now in Bangladesh). He passed the matriculation examination from Cox's Bazaar High School in 1953. Graduating from the Dhaka College in 1955, he joined the Pakistan Army and enrolled at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, West Pakistan. He was appointed adjutant of the 4th Bengal regiment during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. He would also serve as an instructor at the military academy and obtained an advanced degree from the Command and Staff College in Quetta in 1968. He would also receive training in the United Kingdom and West Germany.

Rebel commander

Khaled Mosharraf was put in charge of the 4th Bengal regiment in the Comilla cantonment on 24 March, 1971. Mosharraf led this unit in mutiny following the declaration of independence issued by Bengali leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He merged his unit into the Mukti Bahini guerrilla force, serving as one of its leading commanders. After conducting some successful attacks, Mosharraf and his unit were forced to retreat into the Indian state of Tripura. In an encounter with Pakistani forces, he was wounded by a bullet shot on his head and recovered after a long treatment in at a military hospital in Lucknow. Following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and the establishment of an independent Bangladesh, Mosharraf was appointed as the Staff Officer to the headquarters of the new Bangladesh Army in Dhaka. Attaining the rank of Brigadier, he would be appointed to the post of chief of general staff. He was also honoured with the military honour "Bir Uttom" by the government for his services during the liberation war.

Coup of 1975

Following the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's president on 15 August, 1975, a new government composing of anti-Mujib political elements was formed under the new president Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad. Mostaq Ahmad issued the Indemnity Ordinance, which gave immunity from prosecution to the killers of Mujib. Outraged at Mujib's killing and the protection of his killers, Mosharraf mobilised pro-Mujib army units with Col. Shafaat Jamil to overthrow the regime of Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad on November 3. He would arrest Ziaur Rahman and other members of the government and would become the army chief elevating himself to the rank of Major General. He would also lead a commemorative procession to Mujib's family residence. However, a counter-coup was conducted by left-wing elements in the army led by Col. Abu Taher on November 7, during which Mosharraf was killed.

ee also

References

* [http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/M_0326.htm Banglapedia biography]