Salauddin Mumtaz

Salauddin Mumtaz (1945- 31 July 1971) (সালাহউদ্দিন মমতাজ) was a military officer who fought for the separatist side in the 1971 Bangladeshi War of Independence.

He is honorifically designated Shahid ("martyr") for dying for the Bangladeshi cause, and was also posthumously given the title Beeruttom (or Biruttam), meaning "better among braves" in Bengali, the second-highest Bangladeshi award for gallantry after the Bir Sreshtho.

Early life
In 1945 Salahuddin Mumtaz was born in Mukterbari, a village in North Charipoor, Feni District. His grandfather was the Muslim zamindar of Akiab, Burma (Myanmar)and his maternal gradfather Moulove Abdur Razzak was an MLA of the then Bengal Legislative Assembly of British India. Shamsuddin Ahmed was his father, an advocate got his LLB degree from Aligor Muslim University. Shamsuddin Ahmed started his law practice in Kolkata. Salahuddin, along with his parents when residing in Kolkata started his schooling. After the independence of Pakistan his family came back to Feni where Salahuddin completed his primary education from Debipur Primary School. He did his Matriculation from Feni Pilot High school. For ISc he studied in three colleges: Comolla Victoria College, then Doyal Shing College of Lahore and finally passed ISc from Feni College. When he was student of BSc at Feni College he joined the Pakistan Air Force; he later shifted to the Pakistani Army (Infantry Division) where he reached the rank of captain.

War of Independence
In 1971 Salauddin was posted in Lahore, the then-West Pakistan. On 3rd July 1971 with an intention of leaving Pakistan to join the independence fight in Bangladesh, he crossed the river Monawara Tabi of Maral area and entered India. At that time Mohiuddin Jahangir, Shahriar and Anam was his companion. This incidence of leaving Pakistan had got wide coverage in the then world media. He reported to overseas Government of Bangladesh High commission at Kolkata and joined the East Bengal Regiment. After coming from Pakistan he even did not meet his mother at Feni. He was sent to sector 11 of East Bengal Regiment which was in Teldhala Camp, Meghaloy, India.

The ‘Z’ force under the command of Major Ziaur Rahman was active on that place, Salauddin joined this force and appointed Commander of “Delta” Company. He involved in a dangerouns plan to attack BOP at Kamalpur. With an intention of reckoning the actual position of BOP of Kamalpur on 28th July along with Lieutenant Manna and others he visited the said BOP. During this visit they had to face two Pakistani patrol soldiers. Salahuddin had a fight with one of those soldiers. He with the help of Subedar Hai killed that Pakistani soldier and snatched his rifle. By this time firing also started from Pakistani side. Subedar Hai also snatched another rifle from the other soldier and that soldier was killed by Nayek Shafi. Along with those two rifles Salahuddin and his reckoning party came back to the camp.

Under the command of Commanding Officer Major Moinul Hussain Chowdhury, the attack of Kamalpure BOP was launched on July 30 (at night on July 31), 1971. The attack was made with two companies, Delta and Bravo from the North – East of the enemy camp. Captain Salahuddin Mumtaz commanded Delta on the left and Captain Hafiz commanded Bravo on the right. Battalion ‘R’ group under Major Moin was as a backup force. Major Zia was present with group ‘R’. As the troops were moving towards the enemy post, the enemy artillery started firing heavily. As a result, the progress of the two companies became slow and encountered demise. The troop of Salauddin continued moving forward and entered the outer perimeter of the enemy camp. This attack was so vigorous that Pak army had to go back from their front line position. Delta Company crossed Pakistan bunker area, entered in the community center near the BOP and started a very close fighting. Subeder Hai and his group came very close to the Pakistani minefield. Salahuddin was at the right side of that group. A bomb blast before Subedar Hai and he lost his hand. Salahuddin did not stop, he was chasing Pakistani soldiers. Though casualties were increasing, the Bangladeshi fighters made progress through the minefield. At one stage of the fight, two shells dropped in front of Captain Salahuddin Mumtaz and he was killed.

Recognition
In addition to his designation as a Shahid and Biruttam, a cantonment of the Bangladeshi Army is named for him: Shahid Salahuddin Cantonment (Ghatail).