Liberation War hero Abdus Sattar buried in Cumilla's Brahmanpara without guard of honour, report sought from UNO

Bir Muktijoddha Abdus Sattar, 78, has been buried in Brahmanpara upazila of Cumilla without the state honour of a guard of honour. Police said the guard of honour could not be given because no one from the upazila administration was present at the burial. His family and local freedom fighters have expressed anger over the incident.

Abdus Sattar died in the capital Dhaka on Thursday morning (5 November). His home is in Mahalaxmipara village of Brahmanpara Sadar Union. He served as a government officer in various ministries. After retirement, he lived in Dhaka with his son.

After a first funeral prayer in Dhaka at 11am on Thursday, his body was brought to his village home in Mahalaxmipara. The body reached the village home at around 5:30pm.

Family members said they had contacted the upazila administration so that Abdus Sattar could be given a final farewell with a guard of honour. Police members arrived, but no representative of the administration came in the end. He was later buried in the family graveyard after the Maghrib funeral prayer, without a guard of honour.

His brother Md Shahjahan said with regret, 'We wanted to bid my brother a final farewell with that last honour. But it did not happen. The man who fought for nine months with arms in hand to liberate this country did not even get the honour he deserved.'

Brahmanpara police station officer-in-charge Md Faruk Hossain said on Friday evening, 'We had sent police for the guard of honour, and a team had also come from the police lines to play the bugle. But as no one from the upazila administration was present, the police alone could not give the guard of honour.'

Attempts were made several times to reach Brahmanpara upazila nirbahi officer Munni Islam on her official mobile phone, but she did not answer. She told local journalists, however, that a guard of honour is usually presented from sunrise to sunset and is not given after evening. Preparations had still been taken, but the family members had hesitation over bringing the body from Dhaka. No one contacted them after Maghrib, so it could not be given. Had they known, they would certainly have been present, she said.

Idris Mia, commander of the Brahmanpara upazila Muktijoddha Sangsad, said they had been in constant contact with the upazila administration. They had also requested a guard of honour and an armed salute. But the upazila nirbahi officer told them there is no rule for giving a guard of honour after evening.

Cumilla deputy commissioner Rozi Akter said, 'A guard of honour is usually presented from sunrise to sunset. But if my neighbour dies, I will not sit at home. In that case the upazila nirbahi officer concerned or a representative of theirs will certainly be present there. They will show respect and sympathy to the freedom fighter's family.'

The deputy commissioner also said the Brahmanpara incident has been reported to the Cabinet Division and the divisional commissioner. The upazila nirbahi officer has been asked to submit a report on the matter. Necessary steps will be taken after the report is received.