Tributes paid to Major Ghani

Speakers at a memorial meeting yesterday paid their rich tributes to veteran military officer Major Abdul Ghani, the founder of East Bengal Regiment, for his outstanding contribution to the country.
He dreamt of an independent Bangladesh and so established the regiment in 1948 to give a unique identity to the Bangalee soldiers, they added.
Major Ghani was one of the greatest military officers of the nation who directly protested the then Pakistani president Ayub Khan's speech against the Bangla language in 1948.
The meeting was organised by Major Ghani Parishad to mark the 52nd death anniversary of Major Abdul Ghani at the Diploma Engineers' Institute in the city. Politicians, former military officers, journalists and academicians took part in it.
The speakers expressed their dissatisfaction as the contribution of this great soldier, popularly know as Tiger Ghani, is disappearing day by day due to lack of proper initiatives.
Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka addressed the meeting as the chief guest, while National Press Club President Shawkat Mahmud was in the chair.
Major Ghani's wife Achhia Ghani, former army chief Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, former IGP and secretary Abdul Khalek, DU Pro-VC Prof AFM Yusuf Haider and Prof Aminul Islam also spoke.
Mahbubur said Major Ghani is the unsung hero of the nation. His contribution to the country must be recalled.
Achhia Ghani said Major Ghani founded the East Bengal Regiment to establish an independent Bangladesh and to give a unique identity to the Bangalee soldiers.
But it is disgraceful that he did not find any kind of national recognition. There is no national structure named after him, she added.
She hoped that the ideology of Major Ghani would be preserved and spread among the young generation of the country.
The DCC mayor said the way of bringing development would not be smooth for a nation unless it recalls its greatest heroes.