Advisory: Lead to follow
Dhaka, June 24 (BDNEWS) - After 35 years of his glorious martyrdom, the mortal remains of Bir Sreshtha Flt. Lt. Matiur Rahman was on the way to his motherland Saturday night.
A special flight of Bangladesh Biman (BG 024) carrying the remains left Karachi 18:20 hours (Pakistan time). It is scheduled to land at Zia International Airport at 10:10 pm Bangladesh time.
Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia would receive the coffin with state honour.
A six-member delegation received the remains in Karachi earlier in the day.
Bangladesh's High Commissioner to Pakistan FA Shamim Ahmed and other senior officials were present at the Karachi Airport when the flight departed with the mortal remains.
All are set to receive the remains of the valiant martyr with highest honour in Dhaka.
Matiur's remains will be taken to the National Parade Square Sunday morning where a special prayer will take place at 10 am.
People from all strata of life will be allowed to pay respect to the great son of the soil.
Later, the remains will be buried in full state honour at the Martyrs Intellectuals Graveyard at 12 in the noon.
Matiur Rahman was born on February 21, 1945 in Dhaka and embraced martydom on August 20, 1971. He was a Flight Lieutenant in the Pakistan Air Force when the Liberation War broke out.
He received his primary education at Dhaka Collegiate School. Next he got himself admitted into Pakistan Air Force Public School at Sargoda in (West) Pakistan. After completing his twelfth class course there, he entered Pakistan Air Force Academy.
He was commissioned in June 1963 and was posted at Risalpur, (West) Pakistan. He successfully completed the Jet Conversion Course in Karachi before he was appointed a Jet Pilot in Peshawar.
On August 20, 1971 he attempted to pilot a T-33 trainer from Karachi, Pakistan to India in order to defect from the Pakistan Air Force and join the liberation movement of Bangladesh. The T-33 aircraft was code-named 'Bluebird'.
He didn't make it though, as, reportedly, the other pilot Rashid Minhas in the plane forced it to crash. The plane crashed in Thatta, a place near the Indian border. His body, which was found near the crash site was reportedly buried at the graveyard of fourth class employees at Masroor Air Base, Pakistan.
For this attempt, he was given the gallantry Bir Sreshtho award by Bangladesh which is the highest honour given. The Bangladesh Air Force's Air Base at Jessore is also named after him. This same base is home to the Air Force academy of Bangladesh.
BDNEWS/2036 hrs
