Remembering our Hero

General Muahammad Ataul Gani Osmani was the commander in chief of Bangladesh forces during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. He presided over the sector commander's conference 1971 and created the entire Bangladesh armed forces. He is popularly known by his honorary title Bongobir (Hero of Bengal). On his 30th death anniversary we remember this valiant son of Bangladesh.

Muahammad Ataul Gani Osmani

* Ataul Gani Osmani was born in Sunamganj, Sylhet division on 1st September, 1918
* He was a descendant of Shah Nizamuddin Osmani of Dayamir who came to Sylhet with Hazrat Shah Jalal (R) in 1303
* He attended Aligarh Muslim University, India from and graduated in 1938
* Osmani started his military career on 1939
* He was a World War II veteran and fought during the Burma campaign as a major of the British Indian Army

* In the Pakistan army his closest friends were Major Yahia Khan, Major Tikka Khan and Major A A K Niazi ironically all of them had led the Pakistan army against Bangladesh during 1971
* He was always vocal against the discrimination against Bengali officers of Pakistan army
* For this reason during his service in Pakistan army he was demoted once and his promotion was postponed
* He left the army as a colonel on 1967

* Osmani joined the Sheikh Mujib-led Awami League in 1970
* In 1970 election he was elected as the MNA from Fenchuganj Area of Sylhet
* On 17th April Osmani assumed the personal command of Bangladeshi forces in the Liberation war of 1971
* He made the overall strategy of the operations undertaken by the sector commanders

* Osmani played a key role in rebuilding the Bangladeshi armed forces
* He also made vital contribution in rebuilding Bangladesh's transport and communication system as the minister for air and inland water transport
* He resigned from the cabinet in May 1975 after the introduction of a one-party government system
* Osmani played a key role to solve the later crisis of Bangladesh
* He started a new political party named Jatiya Janata Party in 1976

* Osmani led a Spartan life where luxury had no room
* He wore simple clothes and had a strict culinary taste
* He was a taskmsaster for his subordinates and maintained strict protocol
* For his stern nature and iconic whisker, he was familiar among his colleague as “the man with the moustache”
* Osmani remained unmarried throughout his life
* Osmani died on 16th February of cancer and was buried in Darga, Sylhet with full military honours

Staff Car of General Osmani used during the liberation war.