K. M. Shafiullah

K M Safiullah
কাজী মুহাম্মদ সফিউল্লাহ
Member of Parliament
for Narayanganj-1
In office
14 July 1996 – 13 July 2001
Preceded byAbdul Matin Chowdhury
Succeeded byAbdul Matin Chowdhury
Bangladesh High Commissioner to United Kingdom
In office
31 July 1987 – 3 June 1991
Preceded byMir Shawkat Ali
Succeeded byM. M. Rezaul Karim
2nd Chief of Army Staff
In office
7 April 1972 – 25 August 1975
PresidentAbu Sayeed Chowdhury
Mohammad Mohammadullah
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Prime MinisterSheikh Mujibur Rahman
Muhammad Mansur Ali
Preceded byM. A. G. Osmani (As Commander-in-Chief)
Succeeded byZiaur Rahman
Personal details
Born (1934-09-02) September 2, 1934 (age 90)
Narayanganj, Bengal, British India
Awards Bir Uttom[1]
Military service
Allegiance Bangladesh
 Pakistan (before 1971)
Branch/service
Years of service1955-1975
Rank Major General
UnitEast Bengal Regiment
Commands
Battles/warsBangladesh Liberation War

Kazi Mohammed Safiullah, BU (Bengali: কাজী মুহাম্মদ সফিউল্লাহ; born 2 September 1934)[citation needed], also known as K M Safiullah, is a retired Bangladeshi general, former Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army,[2] and former Member of Parliament. He gained prominence for leading the S Force, a prominent brigade during the Bangladesh Liberation War that played a pivotal role in the conflict of 1971.

As the second in command of Second East Bengal Regiment, along with his battalion, he was the first Bengali officer to stage a rebellion on 19 March 1971 while 57 Bde Commander-Brig. Jahanzeb Arbab came to visit Joydevpur. He killed four non-Bengali officers of his own unit along with several non-Bengali soldiers hailing from then West Pakistan.[citation needed] During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, he was the second in command of Second East Bengal Regiment that revolted with six officers on the night of 4 April 1971. He became the sector commander of Sector 3, headquartered in Teliapara, Sylhet. He directly participated in active combat and escaped certain death at least in two such combats. Towards the end of September he was appointed one of three brigade commanders, leading what was called the "S-force" (after his surname) during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.[3]

Safiullah became Chief of Army Staff in April 1972. After the 15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état, President Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad replaced him with Major General Ziaur Rahman.

  1. ^ Bangladesh Gazette of 15 December, 1973; Ministry of Liberation War Affairs
  2. ^ Manik, Julfikar Ali; Ahmed, Inam (31 January 2010). "In eyes of Gen Shafiullah". The Daily Star. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  3. ^ "KM Shafiullah hospitalised". risingbd.com. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2015.