Muhammed Abul Manzur: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Bangladeshi military officer (1940–1981)}}

'''Major General Muhammad Abul Manzoor''' (? - [[1981]]) was a [[Bangladesh|Bangladeshi]] army officer responsible for organising the [[assassination of Ziaur Rahman]] on [[May 30]], [[1981]] in [[Chittagong]]. He was a freedom fighter during the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] of [[1971]]. Later he was appointed as the head of the Army Staff College, and finally, in Chittagong Cantonment. Following the killing of Zia, Manzoor delivered a public message via radio that he had taken control of the government. However, this coup attempt was swiftly crushed by state forces. Monjur was discovered hiding in a tea plantation in rural Chittagong, and executed.

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}

{{Infobox military person

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Muhammed Abul Manzur

| honorific_suffix =

| native_name =

| native_name_lang = bn

| image =

| caption = Major General Muhammed Abul Manzur.

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1940|02|24}}

| birth_place = [[Kasba Upazila|Gupinathpur]], [[Bengal Presidency]], British India

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1981|06|01|1940|02|24}}

| death_place = [[Chittagong]], Bangladesh

| placeofburial =

| placeofburial_label =

| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->

| allegiance = {{plainlist|

* {{flag|Pakistan}} {{small|([[Operation Searchlight|until 1971]])}}

* {{flag|Bangladesh-bio-stub}}

}}

| branch = {{plainlist|

* {{army|Pakistan}}

* {{army|Bangladesh}}

}}

| serviceyears = 1957–1981

| rank = [[File:Bangladesh-army-OF-7.svg|20px]] [[Major general (Bangladesh)|Major General]]<br />[[File:BD Army Major General Star Plate.svg|20px]]

| unit = [[East Bengal Regiment]]

| commands = *Commander of [[List of sectors in the Bangladesh Liberation War|Sector – VIII]]

*Commander of [[List of sectors in the Bangladesh Liberation War|Sector – IX]]

*CO of 1st [[Para Commando Brigade (Bangladesh)|Para Commando Regiment]]

*[[Chief of the General Staff (Bangladesh)|Chief of General Staff]]

* GOC of [[24th Infantry Division (Bangladesh)|24th Infantry Division]]

| battles = {{tree list}}

*[[Bangladesh Liberation War]]

** [[Battle of Shiromoni]]

*[[Chittagong Hill Tracts Conflict]]

*[[Assassination of Ziaur Rahman]]

{{tree list/end}}

| awards = [[File:Bir Uttom ribbon.svg|30px]] [[Bir Uttom]]<ref>[http://www.molwa.gov.bd/site/page/3f3b7628-3ac7-4927-bf6f-c9203fae601f/Bir-Uttam Bangladesh Gazette of 15 December, 1973; Ministry of Liberation War Affairs]</ref><br />{{flagicon image|Bangladesh Army Para Commando sign.svg|40px}} [[Para Commando Brigade (Bangladesh)|Maroon Parachute Wing]]

| spouse = Rana Yasmeen Manzur{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}

| children = 4

| alma_mater = [[Armanitola Government High School]]<br />[[PAF College Sargodha]]<br />[[Pakistan Military Academy]]

}}

'''Muhammed Abul Manzur''' (24 February 1940 – 1 June 1981) was a [[Bangladeshis|Bangladeshi]] military officer who commanded the [[Mukti Bahini|Bangladesh Forces]] operations in [[List of sectors in the Bangladesh Liberation War|Sector 8]] during the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] against [[Pakistan]] in 1971.<ref name="The Daily Star">{{cite news |title=CID gets 2 more months for Manzur's murder investigation |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/online/cid-gets-2-more-months-manzoor-murder-probe-71170 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=12 March 2015 |access-date=19 June 2015}}</ref> He was allegedly involved in the assassination of the then-president of Bangladesh, [[Ziaur Rahman]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bangladesh President Killed by Leftist Rebels|url=https://cdm16795.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/colmo8/id/183760|access-date=2021-04-19|website=cdm16795.contentdm.oclc.org|language=en}}</ref> Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia (President Ziaur’s widow) accused [[Hussain Muhammad Ershad]] of orchestrating President Ziaur’s assassination as well as Manzur's murder.<ref>{{cite web |title=Khaleda accuses Ershad of killing Zia, Manzur |url=https://bdnews24.com/politics/khaleda-accuses-ershad-of-killing-zia-manzur |website=bdnews24.com |access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref> In 1995, Manzur's older brother filed a case to investigate Manzur's murder, with Ershad named as the prime suspect in the case.<ref name="The Daily Star">{{cite news |title=CID gets 2 more months for Manzur's murder investigation |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/online/cid-gets-2-more-months-manzoor-murder-probe-71170 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=12 March 2015 |access-date=19 June 2015}}</ref>

[[Category:1981 deaths]]

He had been awarded the [[Bir Uttam]] by the Bangladeshi government for his actions in the Bangladesh Liberation War. At the time of his death, he was the [[general officer commanding]] (GOC) of the [[24th Infantry Division (Bangladesh)|24th Infantry Division]] headquartered at [[Chittagong]].

[[Category:Attempted coups]]

[[Category:Bangladeshi military personnel]]

== Early life ==

Manzur was born on 24 February 1940 into a [[Bengali Muslim]] family in the village of [[Kasba Upazila|Gupinathpur]] in the [[Bengal Presidency]] of [[British India]] (now in [[Brahmanbaria District]], Bangladesh). His ancestral paternal home was in the village of Kamalpur in [[Chatkhil Upazila|Chatkhil]], [[Noakhali]].<ref name="Franda1981">{{cite journal |last=Franda |first=Marcus |date=22 August 1981 |title=Bangladesh After Zia: A Retrospect and Prospect |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |volume=16 |issue=34 |pages=1387–1394 |jstor=4370140}}</ref>{{refn|name=birthplace|group=note|Sources vary with regard to exactly where he was born. Franda says his birthplace was Krishnanagar in what is now West Bengal, India.<ref name="Franda1981" /> [[Banglapedia]] places his birth at Gopinathpur village of [[Comilla District]], now in [[Kasba Upazila]] of [[Brahmanbaria District]], Bangladesh.<ref name="Banglapedia" />}}

He was a student in [[Calcutta]] before enrolling at the [[Armanitola Government High School]] in [[Dacca]] at class five. He moved to attend school in [[PAF College Sargodha]] in first entry (54, Tempest), [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]], [[West Pakistan]], and passed the [[Senior Cambridge]] and ISc examinations in 1955 and 1956, respectively.<ref name=Banglapedia>{{cite book |last=Khan |first=Muazzam Hussain |year=2012 |chapter=Manzoor, Major General Muhammad Abul |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Manzoor,_Major_General_Muhammad_Abul |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> Manzur earned an [[Undergraduate education|intermediate degree]] from the Sargodha Air Force Cadet College and studied at [[University of Dhaka|Dacca University]] in East Pakistan for a year.

== Military career ==

{{Bangladesh-bio-stub}}

Following his graduation, Manzur joined the [[Pakistani Army]], subsequently attending the [[Pakistan Military Academy]] and the Defence Services Staff College in Canada, where he obtained his [[psc (military)|PSC]] in 1968<ref name="Franda1981" /><ref name="Banglapedia" /> and joined the [[East Bengal Regiment]] of the Pakistan Army as a [[Officer (armed forces)#Commission sources and training|commissioned officer]].<ref name="Banglapedia" />

After the War of Liberation began in 1971, Manzur was a [[brigade major]] of a para commando brigade close to the Indian border.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}} He escaped from West Pakistan to India with Major [[Abu Taher]], Major [[Mohammad Ziauddin (Military Officer)|Mohammad Ziauddin]], and Captain Bazlul Ghani Patwari and with his family.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lifschultz |first=Lawrence |year=1979 |title=Bangladesh: The Unfinished Revolution |___location=London |publisher=Zed Press |page=79 |isbn=0-905762-07-X |quote=[Abu Taher recounting their escape from West Pakistan to join the Bangladesh Liberation War:] Since we had to pass some daylight hours, we went to Major Manzur house who was stationed at Sialkot Cantonment. When Manzur came to know of our plan of escape, he remained quiet and expressed no enthusiasm. At the insistence of his wife, he at last agreed to escape with us. In this way Major Manzur, his family, and his Bengali batman joined us. At nightfall we drove up to the border, ... walked across the boundary and reached India.}}</ref> 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 in December 1971.{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}

In 1974–76, he was posted in New Delhi as [[military attaché]] in the High Commission of Bangladesh to India. Known for his tenacity, keen eye for strategy, and formation of loyalty from colleagues, in 1975 he was promoted to [[colonel]]. Upon his return to Dhaka in 1977, he was promoted to brigadier. After the [[1977 Bangladesh Air Force mutiny|1977 Bangladesh Airforce Mutiny]], he suggested that the air force be disbandedand replaced with an army aviation wing.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Mascarenhas |first=Anthony |title=Bangladesh: A Legacy of Blood |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton |year=1986 |isbn=978-0340394205}}</ref>

He was later given the role of [[General officer commanding|GOC]] of the [[24th Infantry Division (Bangladesh)|24th Infantry Division]]. This put him in direct opposition to General Zia as he wanted to stay in Dhaka, which had better facilities and luxuries. He offered to instead serve as Commandant of the [[Defence Services Command and Staff College (Bangladesh)|Defence Services Command and Staff College]], but he was denied. This was because Zia wanted to separate him and his main rival, [[Mir Shawkat Ali]].<ref name=":0" /> In 1980, he was promoted to [[major general|Major General]] at the age of 41. He was one of the youngest generals of a front-line force in South Asia's history.

== Role in assassination of Ziaur Rahman ==

{{Main|Assassination of Ziaur Rahman}}

General [[Hussain Muhammad Ershad]], [[Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army|Chief of Army Staff]], transferred Major-General Manzoor to a non-combatant post in Dhaka as commandant of the Defence Services Command and Staff College.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news |title=1981: Bangladeshi president assassinated |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/30/newsid_4401000/4401129.stm |work=On This Day |publisher=BBC |date=30 May 1981 |access-date=17 September 2011}}</ref> Manzoor was the general officer commanding (GOC) of Chittagong, and freedom fighters placed under his command were given the highest posts.<ref name="revues1">{{cite web|url=https://journals.openedition.org/samaj/230 |title=Genesis, Maturation and Distortion of the Bangladeshi Army |publisher=Samaj.revues.org |access-date=17 September 2011}}</ref> Once the transfer order was sent to Manzoor, he launched a coup on the morning of 30 May, and ordered the killing of President [[Ziaur Rahman]] at the then [[Zia Memorial Museum|Chittagong Circuit House]].<ref name="revues1"/> After an ultimatum for surrender by the government, most of Manzoor's troops had abandoned their posts or had joined the government, which ended the rebellion. Later, government soldiers retook the radio station, and Bangladesh Radio announced a 500,000 taka reward for capture -dead or alive- of Manzoor.<ref name="Dhaka Tribune">{{cite news |last=Islam Tipu |first1=Md Sanaul |date=30 May 2013 |title=Prosecution buying time in Manzoor murder case |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/crime/2013/05/30/prosecution-buying-time-in-manzoor-murder-case/ |newspaper=Dhaka Tribune |access-date=19 June 2015}}</ref>

Although the assassination of President Ziaur Rahman was carried out in Chittagong on 30 May 1981, the military ''coup d'état'' failed. Major-General Manzoor went on radio to speak to the nation. According to the historian Anthony Mascarenhas in his ''Bangladesh: A Legacy of Blood,'' Manzoor effectively isolated Chittagong from the rest of the country. Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad, quickly ordered to suppress any such action and issued orders to kill or capture Manzoor.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> Manzoor surrendered without incident to the police in Fatikchari.<ref name="thedailystar.net">{{cite news |last=Lifschultz |first=Lawrence |date=25 February 2014 |title=The murder of Major General Abul Manzur, Bir Uttam |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/the-murder-of-major-general-abul-manzur-bir-uttam-12836 |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=19 June 2015}}</ref> Manzoor was reported to have been killed on spot by angry soldiers on 2 June 1981.<ref name=Banglapedia/> Other reports say he was killed in [[Chittagong]] Cantonment by an army officer sent from Dhaka.<ref name="thedailystar.net"/> In less than a year, Lt-General Hussain Muhammad Ershad took over the country in a bloodless coup.

==Trial==

On 28 February 1995, Manzur's elder brother, Abul, filed a murder case with Panchlaish Police Station 14 years after his killing.<ref name="The Daily Star"/> Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad was made the prime accused in the case. Other accused are Maj (retired) Kazi Emdadul Haque, Lt Col (retired) Mostafa Kamaluddin Bhuiyan, Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Shams, and Major General (retired) Abdul Latif.<ref name="Dhaka Tribune" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Islam |first=Md Sanaul |date=13 March 2015 |title=CID gets more time to probe Maj Manzoor murder case |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/crime/2015/03/12/cid-gets-more-time-to-probe-maj-manzoor-murder-case/ |newspaper=Dhaka Tribune |access-date=19 June 2015}}</ref>

== Family and legacy ==

Manzur's widow, Rana Yasmeen Manzur and their two daughters and two sons<ref>{{cite web|url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-2nd-circuit/1432898.html |title=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 |publisher=Caselaw.findlaw.com |access-date=17 September 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bibdaily.com/pdfs/Manzur%202%207-16-07.pdf |title=Manzur v. DHS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001074508/http://www.bibdaily.com/pdfs/Manzur%202%207-16-07.pdf |archive-date=1 October 2011 }}</ref> received political asylum in the US. He was considered a war hero as Sector 8 commander in the Liberation War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sectorcommandersforum.org |title=Sector Commanders Forum |publisher=Sector Commanders Forum |date=14 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816224808/http://www.sectorcommandersforum.org/ |archive-date=16 August 2011|access-date=17 September 2011}}</ref>

==Notes==

{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Military of Bangladesh}}

==Further reading==

* Ali, Tariq. ''Pakistan: Military Rule or People's Power?'', London: Cape, 1970.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Monjur, Abdul}}

[[Category:1940 births]]

[[Category:1981 deaths]]

[[Category:Attempted coups d'état in Asia]]

[[Category:Bangladeshi murder victims]]

[[Category:Conflicts in 1981]]

[[Category:Generals of the Bangladesh Liberation War]]

[[Category:Bangladesh Army generals]]

[[Category:Mukti Bahini personnel]]

[[Category:PAF College Sargodha alumni]]

[[Category:Recipients of the Bir Uttom]]

[[Category:People from Chatkhil Upazila]]

[[Category:BangladeshiBengali military personnel]]

[[Category:People from Kasba Upazila]]