Full name: Munshi Abdur Rouf
Birth date: May 8, 1943
Birthplace: Salamatpur, Boalmari, Faridpur
Died: April 08, 1971
Death Place: Burighat, Naniyachar, Rangamati
Education: Eight Grade
Occupation: Lance Nayek
Awards: Bir Sreshtho
Sector no:1
Spouse (s): N/A
Religion: Islam
Zodiac sign: Taurus
Munshi Abdur Rouf is a Bangladeshi martyred freedom fighter. He was awarded the highest prestigious recognition ‘Bir Sreshtho’ for bravery in the liberation war. Rouf was a Lance Nayek in the East Pakistan Rifles. During the liberation war, Rouf worked at the regular infantry unit and fought in sector 1. He died in a front war with occupying Pakistan army at Burighat in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Abdur Rouf Early Life:
Munshi Abdur Rouf was born on May 8, 1943, at Salamatpur, Boalmari (currently Madhukhali Thana), Faridpur to Munshi Mehedi Hossain and Mukidunnesa. His father was an ‘Imam’ at a local mosque and his mother was a housewife. Rouf had two sisters Zahura and Hazera.
In 1955, his father died and he had to stop his education for getting a job. He studied until the eighth grade and had to increase his age by three years to get a job in the East Pakistan Rifles. After finishing preliminary training at the EPR camp at Chuadanga and advanced training in Pakistan, he was appointed to Comilla.
Liberation War:
Pakistan army attacked the Mukti Bahinis defensive position at Rangamati-Mahalchari waterway on April 8, 1971, with 7-speed boats and two launches where the East Bengal Regiment constructed a camp under the leadership of Munshi Abdur Rouf.
Pakistanis managed to trace the position of Mukti Bahini coming closer and firing heavily. Rouf realized the threat of an entire group of soldiers. So he attempted forward and continuously fired toward the Pakistanis with his automatic machine gun.
He drowned the seven-speed boats of Pakistanis one by one and they were forced to retreat with their launches. The two launches took place at a safe distance outside of Rouf bullet. Meanwhile, Pakistanis started mortar shelling from the launce eventually a mortar hit Munshi Abdur Rouf and he died. But before his death, fellow soldiers were able to reach their safe distance, in this way he save the lives of more than 150 fellow soldiers.
Legacy:
In 2004, Bangladesh Rifles College is named Bir Shrestha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College in Pilkhana after his name. a college in Faridpur, a school in Manikchari, Khagrachari, and a cricket stadium in Sylhet has been named after him.