I must say I consider myself privileged to have known Lieutenant Ashfakus Samad, first as a classmate in Notre Dame College, then as a batch mate in the University of Dhaka. We have watched many English films together and shared many good laughs over some jokes. Ashfakus Samad was a hearty and cheerful person- a real ‘jolly good fellow’- who could brighten up any dark corner at any given moment.
The last time I met Ashfakus Samad was on 27 March, 1971, standing before the blown out Daily Ittefaq newspaper office at Hatkhola. His house was next to the Ittefaq office and he narrated the story of how a Pakistani army tank came around 12.30 am last night and fired two shells at the building where printing was going on. The shelling destroyed the building and killed about 20 people working inside. As we were talking an army jeep with a major and four soldiers came to the roundabout and asked a man to show him the Ittefaq building. After inspecting the destroyed building from outside the major left the place. We talked for about half an hour and then said goodbye to each other.
After the Pakistani army started the genocide on the night of 25 March 1971, possibly on 27th or 28th March, Ashfak along with a few friends went to Kishoreganj on 29 March to collect arms and ammunitions. He collected some arms from the officers of 2 East Bengal Regiment and 4 East Bengal Regiment stationed there and returned to Dhaka. But after a few days when he heard of some resistant fighters being raised near the border, he went to India to receive proper military training. After completion of training in Agartala he took part in a number of raids and ambushes under 2 East Bengal under the Saldanadi Sub-sector Regiment. Asfak was selected in the army as an officer of the first Bangladesh batch and commissioned on 9 October 1971 as a Lieutenant and was posted as a company commander of Shahebganj Sub-sector under Sector 6. As a company commander he fought valiantly in Jaimonirhat, Bhurungamari and Raiganj. He successfully took part in the attack to liberate Bhurungamari and the adjacent areas.
The last battle of a hero. Banglapedia writes: “On the night of 20 November, the freedom fighters launched an attack on the Pakistan army’s stronghold in Raiganj. In the face of a severe counter attack of the enemy, Ashfakus Samad with an object of making scope for safe retreat of his army began cover firing at the enemy causing serious damage to them while his soldiers were able to move to safety. He was struck by an enemy bullet on his head and embraced martyrdom. He was buried with full military honour on 21 November in the graveyard adjacent to the mosque in Jaimonirhat Bazar. The local people renamed Jaimonirhat as Samad Nagar in recognition of his valour and sacrifice in the War of Liberation. The Bangladesh Government conferred upon him the title of ‘Bir Uttam’. A portion of the main road in Motijheel from Dainik Bangla crossing to Shapla Chattar in Dhaka has recently been renamed as Bir Uttam Ashfakus Samad Sarak.”
It was an irony of fate that once while eating lunch with fellow freedom fighters in the jungle, everyone wrote in a notebook how they would celebrate after reaching Dhaka in a liberated country. When it was Ashfak’s turn he wrote his thoughts but ended with the line, “Unless I stop a bullet or something.”
Like Ashfakus Samad many valiant freedom fighters did not reach home. Their mothers waited and waited to take their sons to their bosom. We salute those valiant sons of the soil and those mothers who let go their sons to fight and offer their blood for the liberation of the country.
