"Idhar So Raha Hai Ek Gaddar" (The traitor sleeps here). This unpleasant quotation was written in front of the Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman's grave at the military graveyard for fourth class employees at Masroor Air Base of Karachi in Pakistan (1971-2006). The air force of Pakistan recognised him as a traitor.
The reason behind was that the Flt Lt. Matiur Rahman made a secret plan of hijacking an air craft from Karachi aiming to join liberation movement though he was employed at an official post of West Pakistan. This incident created a negative image of disloyalty with his post and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
On the other side, the image is entirely opposite. Bangladeshi people remember him as Martyr Lt. Matiur Rahman. He was honoured with the highest recognition of Bangladesh "Bir Shreshtho" for his utmost bravery during Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.
Matiur Rahman was born in Dhaka on 19 November, 1941. After receiving primary education at Dhaka Collegiate School, he was admitted to Pakistan Air Force Public School at Sargodha in West Pakistan. He completed the course and entered into Pakistan air force academy. On June 1963, he was commissioned and posted at Risalpur. He also successfully completed the Jet conversion training T-33 jet trainers in that base and earmarked for fighter conversion training. With a mark of 81%, he completed this course and appointed as a Jet Pilot in Peshwar (in No.19 squadron). In every stage of academic career, Matiur Rahman passed with excellent results. His rank was flying officers during Indo-Pakistan War of 1965. After, Matiur Rahman was promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant in 1967.
However, at the end of January 1971, Matiur Rahman and his family came to Dhaka for two months vacation. During Pakistan Military’s attack on Bengali people on 25 March known as “Operation Searchlight”, he was in Ramnagar. After seeing this brutality, he opened a training camp to train up the people in Vairab.
In a few days, he formed a small team of defense members with some weapons. But his camp was bombed by the Pakistan Air Force on 14 April. The prudent leader Matiur Rahman anticipated the attack before and changed the location of camp. The bomb wasn’t able to damage the camp but it flared up patriotism in Matiur's eye. To fighting with enemy, he needed a jet plane.
So Matiur Rahman returned to Karachi in 9 May. But he was denied permission to fly in the sky and was assigned as the Base Flight Safety Officer though he was a Flight Instructor before. Nevertheless, he targeted his student Rashid Minhas, a 21 year old Pilot Officer and waited for the perfect time. Finally the day came in 9 August,1971. Rashid Minhas was flying with T-33(Code name-Blue Bird) aircraft. Matiur Rahman stopped the aircraft on the runway, climbed into the cockpit immediately, seized control of the aircraft and headed towards India. Along with, he tried to faint the student with jet fuel scented cloth.
Initially, Rashid Minhas fought against him through the mechanically linked controls but failed. The control room sent F-8 fighter jets and a helicopter to chase him quickly. The most skilful Lieutenant Matiur was flying at a much lower altitude that radar didn’t able to identify their location. When the plane reached near the Indian border, Rashid Minhaj woke from consciousness and tried to intercept. As a result, the T-33 crashed in Thatta, 40km from Indian Border. Both of them were dead. After, Rashid Minhas was honoured with Nishan-e-Haider, the highest gallantry award of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). Matiur Rahman was awarded ‘Bir Sreshtho’ the highest honour in Bangladesh for his heroic act but considered as Gaddar (Traitor) in Pakistan.
On 24 June 2006, over 30 years of negotiations, Flt Lt. Matiur Rahman’s body was finally returned to Bangladesh. He was re-buried with full dignity at the Martyred Intellectuals Graveyard, in Mirpur.
Young generation may see the hijack scene in action movie but our most valiant hero Matiur Rahman showed it in real life at a critical time in Bangladesh though the mission was incomplete. Passing 50 years of victory, Bangalis remember the legendary hero Bir Shrestho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman with great respect in every moment. His bravery will always inspire to dream more, do more and become more.

The writer is a student, International Relations, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj. [email protected]