Retired Major General K M Shafiullah, one of the key sector commanders of the Liberation War, has passed away. He was 91 years old. His family confirmed that he breathed his last on Sunday (January 26) at around 8:45 am at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka.
He had been suffering from several health problems for a long time, including diabetes, hypertension, thyroid issues, fatty liver, and dementia. For years, he relied on a stretcher to move around.
In 1971, K M Shafiullah was the second-in-command of the 2nd East Bengal Regiment stationed in Joydebpur. It was under his leadership that the Bengali soldiers in the regiment revolted at that time.
As the Liberation War started, he served as the commander of Sector 3. Later on, when three regular army brigades (known as forces) were formed, he was the leader of the ‘S Force.’ For his contributions during the war, he was awarded the title ‘Bir Uttom.’
K M Shafiullah was born on September 2 of 1934, in Rupganj, Narayanganj. After the country became independent, he served as the Chief of Army Staff from 1972 to 1975. Later in his long career, he worked as an ambassador in Malaysia, Canada, Sweden, and England.
He returned to Bangladesh in 1991. Then he was made an officer on special duty (OSD) for a year. The following year, he retired voluntarily.
In 1995, he joined the Awami League. In the 1996 election, he became a Member of Parliament from the Narayanganj-1 constituency.
In 2007, Shafiullah became involved in the movement demanding the trial of 1971 war criminals. He was a member of the presidium of the Sector Commanders Forum, formed with the living sector commanders of the Liberation War. He later also served as the chairman of the organization.
In 1975, when a group of army officers assassinated President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family, Shafiullah was the Chief of Army Staff. After the assassination, he pledged loyalty to Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad’s government. However, within a few days, he lost his position as the army chief.