Bir Shrestha Nur Mohammad’s 55th martyrdom anniversary today

The 55th martyrdom anniversary of Bir Shrestha Nur Mohammad Sheikh, one of Bangladesh’s seven Bir Shrestha gallantry award recipients, will be observed today at Nur Mohammad Nagar in Narail.

The district administration and the Bir Shrestha Nur Mohammad Sheikh Trust have jointly organised a series of programmes to commemorate the Liberation War hero.

The day’s programme will begin with the placing of wreaths at his portrait, followed by a guard of honour and special prayers. Essay and drawing competitions will also be held, along with a discussion on his life and sacrifice at the auditorium of the Nur Mohammad Sheikh Memorial Museum and Library.

Born on February 26, 1936, in Mahishkhola village of Chandibarpur, Nur Mohammad Sheikh joined the then East Pakistan Rifles in 1959. After serving for years along the Dinajpur border, he was transferred to the Jashore sector in July 1970 and later promoted to lance naik.

During the Liberation War in 1971, he fought under Sector 8 in the Jashore region. On September 5 that year, Nur Mohammad was engaged in a fierce battle against Pakistani forces at Goalhati and Chutipur in Jashore.

When fellow freedom fighter Nannu Mia was critically wounded, Nur Mohammad carried him on his shoulder while continuing to fire at the enemy with a light machine gun. Despite suffering severe injuries from a mortar shell, he continued fighting until he was killed while protecting his comrades and their weapons.

Nur Mohammad was later buried at Kashipur in Sharsha, Jashore. In recognition of his extraordinary bravery and supreme sacrifice during the Liberation War, he was posthumously awarded Bangladesh’s highest gallantry honour, Bir Shrestha.

His birthplace, Mahishkhola, was officially renamed Nur Mohammad Nagar in 2008 in his honour.