Abu Taher

For other uses, see Abu Taher (disambiguation).

Lieutenant Colonel
Abu Taher
BU
আবু তাহের
Born(1938-11-14)14 November 1938
Badarpur, Assam, British India
Died21 July 1976(1976-07-21) (aged 37)
Dhaka Central Jail, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Cause of deathExecution by hanging
Alma materMurari Chand College
Political partyJatiyo Samajtantrik Dal
SpouseLutfa Taher[1]
Children3
RelativesM. Anwar Hossain[2] (brother)
Military career
Allegiance Pakistan
(1962–1971)
Mukti Bahini (1971–1972)
 Bangladesh (1972)
Service / branch Pakistan Army
Bangladesh Army seal Bangladesh Army
Years of service1962-1972
Rank Lieutenant colonel
UnitBaloch Regiment
Special Service Group
Commands
Battles / warsIndo-Pakistani War of 1965
Bangladesh Liberation War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Second Siege of Dhaka
Awards Bir Uttom[3][4][5]
Maroon Parachute Wing

Lt. Col. Abu Taher BU (Bengali: আবু তাহের; 14 November 1938 – 21 July 1976) was a Bangladeshi military officer and war hero. He first served in the Pakistan Army, and later defected to the Bangladesh Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He crossed into India around early August and reported to the Indian authorities. After a week screening at Dehradun, India, Taher reported to Kolkata, Bangladesh Provincial government at 8 Theatre Rd. He was ordered to report to Sector 11 of Mukti Bahini under command of Major Ziaur Rahman, he became the sector commander after him. He served in BDF from end of August to 2 November 1971. He was awarded the medal Bir Uttom for his gallantry in the liberation war. He was released from military service by Indian military medical board in Pune, India after his leg was amputated. After independence, he was inducted into the Bangladesh Army for administrative retirement with legacy rank of lieutenant colonel. After settling in with family, the government of Bangladesh appointed him with employment at Kumilla. Later Taher turned into a political activist and leader of the left-wing Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal.[4]

He was responsible for the 7 November coup which was 3rd Coup of 1975 of Bangladesh.[6][7] After freeing Ziaur Rahman and reinstating him as army chief,[6] many personnel including Taher was found guilty of high treason and murder and executed.[8] However, in 2011, his trial was declared illegal by the high court of Bangladesh.[9][10]

  1. ^ আজ আমি আনন্দিত, আমি গর্বিত : লুৎফা তাহের. banglanews24.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Colonel Taher's unfinished revolution". 31 January 2022.
  3. ^ Bangladesh Gazette of 15 December, 1973; Ministry of Liberation War Affairs
  4. ^ a b Habib, Haroon. "Two epoch-making verdicts". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference bpedia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b "Zia revived Razakars: Inu". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  7. ^ Newton, Michael (17 April 2014). Famous Assassinations in World History: An Encyclopedia. United States of America: ABC-CLIO, LLC. p. 455. ISBN 9781610692861.
  8. ^ Ahsan, Syed Badrul (7 July 2015). "Bourgeois dreams of socialist revolution". The Daily Observer. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  9. ^ Niloy, Suliman. "'Zia staged trial to kill Col Taher'". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).