Body of Bir Uttam CR Dutta likely to be brought back early next week

Body of war hero and commander of Sector-4 during the country's Liberation War, Bir Uttam CR Dutta, is likely to be brought back home on Monday or Tuesday.

General CR Dutta Jatiya Committee in a press release said preparations were taken to arrange the war hero's funeral with the highest military and state honour after bringing his body to Bangladesh from Florida, USA.

CR Dutta's three daughters and son are scheduled to reach Bangladesh on August 31 from USA and Canada to attend the funeral, said the release.

The release said efforts are on to take CR Dutta's body home with his family members.

"If that's not possible, his body is scheduled to land at the Dhaka airport by an Emirates Airlines flight at 6:30am on Tuesday," said the release.

Meanwhile, a 1001-member national citizens' committee was formed headed by Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah, sector commander of the country's Liberation War, to show final respect to CR Dutta.

Major General (retd) Chitta Ranjan Dutta, Bir Uttam, passed away in the US on August 25. He was 93.

The veteran freedom fighter who served in the top post of different government organisations, including Bangladesh Rifles (now BGB), breathed his last at 9:30am (Bangladesh time) at a Florida hospital.

Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad said CR Dutta had been suffering from various old-age complications.

In a message, CR Dutta's son Dr Chiranjit Dutta said his father died from surgical complications.

After the 1965 India-Pakistan war, the then Pakistan government rewarded him for his courageous contributions as he played the lead role in retaking Asalong Mouja, a place in Chattogram Hill Tracts, from the Indian army.

This was the first battle of his military life.

He was the commander of Sector-4 during the country's Liberation War and freed the country from the Pakistan occupation army.

He was awarded the "Bir Uttam" title for his gallantry during the war.

After the war, he was made the brigade commander in Rangpur in 1972. The city street from Katabon to Karwan Bazar Signal was named after Bir Uttam CR Dutta.

The war veteran had played an important role in holding trials of war criminals and establishing a secular Bangladesh.

He had been the founding president of Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad, a platform of different religious minority groups, until his death.

CR Dutta, who was the founding director general of the now-defunct Bangladesh Rifles in 1973, left behind two daughters, a son, and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death.