Saiful Azam

Saiful Azam (Bengali: সাইফুল আজম; 11 September 1941 – 14 June 2020) was a Bangladeshi pilot and politician who first served as a fighter pilot for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) (1960–1971) and later the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) (1971–1979).[3] According to Pakistani sources, during his career as PAF pilot, he shot down one Indian Air Force (IAF) and three Israel Air Force (IAF) aircraft. For his actions, he received various gallantry awards from Pakistan, Jordan and Iraq.[3] He also took part in 12 ground-attack missions against the Indian forces.[4] After the liberation of Bangladesh, he joined the newly formed Bangladesh Air Force.[2]

Group Captain

Saiful Azam
Native name
সাইফুল আজম
Born11 September 1941
Faridpur, Pabna, Bengal, British India (Now, Rajshahi, Bangladesh)
Died14 June 2020 (aged 79)
CMH, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Buried
Shaheen Graveyard, Dhaka Cantonment, Dhaka, Bangladesh[1]
Allegiance Pakistan (1947–1971)
 Bangladesh (1971–1979)
Service/branch Pakistan Air Force (1960–1971)
 Bangladesh Air Force (1974–1979)
Years of service1960–1979
Rank Group Captain
UnitNo. 17 Squadron
Awards Sitara-e-Jurat[2]
Wisam al-Istiqlal[2]
Nawt as-Shaja'ah (by Iraq in 2005)[2]
Honoured as an "Eagle" by the Gathering of Eagles Foundation, United States.
Member of Parliament
for Pabna-3
In office
1991–1996
Preceded byAKM Shamsuddin
Succeeded byWazi Uddin Khan
Personal details
Political partyBangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)

In 1980, Azam retired as a Group Captain from Bangladesh Air Force. After retiring from the military, Azam continued government service on contract basis and started his own private trading firm. Azam was a one term parliament member(1991-1996) representing his hometown seat of Pabna in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) ticket.[2] He died on 14 June 2020 at 13:00 hours at the Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka.

Personal life and education

Azam was born in Khagarbaria village, Pabna District, East Bengal, British India (later East Pakistan and now Bangladesh) in 1941.[5] After completing his secondary schooling in East Pakistan, he moved to West Pakistan and joined the Pakistan Air Force College in Sargodha. After that he joined the Pakistan Air Force Academy, Risalpur in 1958, successfully gaining commission as an officer in the PAF's General Duties Pilot or GD (P) branch in 1960. Saiful Azam was married to Nishat Azam who is a lawyer.

Service with the Pakistan Air Force (1960–1971)

After training with the Cessna T-37 aircraft and further education at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, with F-86 Sabres, in 1963, Azam was posted briefly in Dhaka before becoming an instructor with the T-33s at PAF's No. 2 Squadron (Jet Conversion Unit) in Mauripur, Karachi.[5] While still posted as an instructor, Azam flew in the September 1965 war with India as part of PAF's No. 17 Squadron from PAF Base Sargodha, flying F-86s.[5] After returning from a successful ground attack, Azam's group encountered Indian Folland Gnat interceptors; Azam shot down Flying Officer Mayadev of the Indian Air Force. Flying Officer Mayadev ejected and was captured by Pakistani soldiers on the ground.[2] Throughout the 1965 war, Azam took part in 12 ground-attack missions which inflicted very heavy damage to the Indian forces.[4] For his actions, Azam was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat, Pakistan's third highest military award.[6] In 1966, he assumed the command of PAF's No. 2 Squadron.

In November 1966, he was sent by the Pakistan Air Force on deputation as an adviser to the Royal Jordanian Air Force.[5] According to Pakistani sources, during the 1967 Arab Israel war, Flight Lieutenant Saiful Azam shot down a Dassault Mystère IV a supersonic aircraft belonging to the Israeli Air Force while flying a Hawker Hunter. According to the same sources, a day later, he was shifted to an Iraqi airbase where he shot down a Vautour IIA and Dassault Mirage III belonging to the Israeli Air Force, all these fighter aircraft shot down only in two missions this remains the highest shooting record of Israeli Air Force aircraft till today.[7][8] [9]

In 1969, after completing his overseas deputation, he returned in service to the PAF and spent several years as flight commander at various PAF bases before the Creation of Bangladesh.[5]

Service with the Bangladesh Air Force (1971–1979)

After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, Azam entered service with the newly formed Bangladesh Air Force in 1974, serving as Director of Flight Safety and Director of Operations before being given command of the Dhaka Air Base and promoted to Group Captain in 1977. He retired in 1980 as Group Captain.

Post-retirement (1980–2020)

Following his retirement from the military, he joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).[2] As BNP candidate, Saiful took part in the fifth parliamentary election from Pabna-3 and achieved victory.[10]

Subsequently, he entered the private business sector as the Managing Director of Natasha Trading Agency and as the director of a travel agency with his wife.[5]

He lived with his wife in Dhaka Cantonment Defense Officers Housing Society (DOHS), while his adult son and daughters live in the state of Arizona, United States.

Death

Azam died on 14 June 2020 at a Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka. Air Chief of Bangladesh Air Force Masihuzzaman Serniabat expressed deep shock and sadness for his death. A state funeral was arranged at the BAF Base Khademul Bashar parade ground including a fly past in honor of him.[1]

Pakistan Air Force chief Mujahid Anwar Khan and the Palestine ambassador to Pakistan, Ahmed Rabie, expressed grief over the Azam's death. Mujahid Anwar Khan stated that Azam was an exceptional fighter pilot who would always be remembered for his valour and professionalism.[4] Ahmed Rabie stated that "on behalf of all Palestinians, I send our deepest condolences to his family in Pakistan and in Bangladesh."[11]

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, also expressed his shock and sorrow at the death of the former BNP politician.[10]

See also

References
  1. "RETIRED AIR FORCE OFFICER BURIED AT SHAHEEN GRAVEYARD AFTER NAMAJ-E-ZANAJA". Inter-Services Public Relations (Bangladesh). 15 June 2020.
  2. "Group Captain (R) Saiful Azam: The Flying Ace Who Has Been Awarded Gallantry Awards For Valor In Air Combat By 3 Different Countries". Fighter Jets World (FJW). 14 June 2020.
  3. "'Master of the sky' Group Captain Saiful Azam passes away". The Business Standard. 14 June 2020.
  4. "PAF pays tribute to 1965 war veteran". Express Tribune. 15 June 2020.
  5. "Welcome to the Air Command and Staff College Gathering of Eagles Homepage!". Au.af.mil. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
  6. "PAKISTAN AIR FORCE - Official website". Paf.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 24 February 2010. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
  7. Kaiser Tufail. "Sword for Hussein". DefenceJournal.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2003.
  8. M. Hensel, Howard (4 June 2020). Air Power in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific: Understanding Regional Security Dynamics. Routledge. ISBN 9781000091779.
  9. Pakistan Air Force (PAF) heroes. Archived from the original on 2017-07-17.
  10. "Former Pabna-3 MP Saiful Azam Suja died". Jagonews24.com.
  11. "Palestinian envoy grieved over Eagle of Sky's death". The Nation. 15 June 2020.
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