Sector commander Shafiullah dies

Major General (Retd) KM Shafiullah, one of the prominent sector commanders of the Liberation War and former army chief, has passed away. He died around 8:45 am on Sunday at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka, where he had been undergoing treatment. He was 91 years old.

His personal assistant, Ziaur Rahman Moni, confirmed the news to Jago News. He stated that the first namaz-e-janaza (funeral prayer) will be held after Zuhr at the Kazi Abdul Hamid High School ground in Rupganj, Narayanganj, followed by the second namaz-e-janaza after Asr at the Central Mosque of Dhaka Cantonment.

Safiullah had been battling several health issues for a long time, including diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid problems, and fatty liver. He had required a stretcher for mobility.

In 1971, Shafiullah was the second-in-command of the 2nd East Bengal Regiment stationed in Joydebpur. Later, when three regular army brigades (known as forces) were formed, he assumed leadership of the ‘S’ Force. For his significant contributions during the Liberation War, he was awarded the title of ‘Bir Uttam’.

In 2007, when the Sector Commanders Forum was established for surviving sector commanders, Shafiullah became a member of its presidium and later served as the chairman of the organization.

On August 15, 1975, when a group of army personnel assassinated then-President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family, Shafiullah was the Chief of Army Staff. Following the assassination, he expressed loyalty to the government formed under Khondkar Moshtaq’s leadership. However, just a few days later, he was removed from the position of army chief.

After the Liberation War, Shafiullah served as the Chief of Army Staff from 1972 to 1975. Later, he held ambassadorial posts in Malaysia, Canada, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, among other countries.

In 1991, upon returning to Bangladesh, he was made Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for a year. The following year, he voluntarily retired. In 1995, he joined the Awami League and was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Narayanganj-1 constituency in 1996, running on the boat symbol.

The former army chief was born on September 2, 1934, in Rupganj, Narayanganj.