POBNEWS24, Desk Report, Feb 3, 2022 : And only a year. Then he will retire from the army. Return to the village home. Spend the rest of your life with family members.
For this he also built a house in Patuakhali municipal town. The new building was named ‘Sena Niketan’. But his dream did not come true. Not a job, he retired from life. He was shot dead during an operation in a remote hilly area of Ruma in Bandarban on Wednesday night. He is Habibur Rahman, a senior warrant officer of the army.
Another army member was injured in the shootings at Bathi Tripurapara in Ruma upazila of Bandarban. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that the exchange of fire took place with supporters of the main party of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Jana Sanghati Samiti (PCJSS). Three pro-JSS terrorists were also killed.
Local police sources initially said that none of the three killed were residents of Bathi Tripurapara. They are Joy Chakma, a resident of Bilaichhari upazila, Jhilik Chakma of Barkal and Chamangpru Marma of Niyakshyangpara of Rumar Paindu union. However, no party has officially identified their names.
A security patrol team led by Senior Warrant Officer Habib from Raingkhiang Lake Army Camp went to the area on Wednesday on the basis of information that a group of pro-JSS terrorists was coming to Bathipara area of Ruma Upazila for extortion, ISPR said in a press release on Thursday. When the patrol team reached Bathipara area around 10:30 pm, the terrorists opened fire on the patrol team from a zoom house. Three armed terrorists of the JSS were shot dead in a quick response and counter-attack by the army patrol team. Habibur Rahman, a senior warrant officer, was shot in the head by the fleeing terrorists. He fell on the spot. Soldier Firoz was shot in the right leg. The two army members were airlifted from Ruma to Chittagong Combined Military Hospital on Thursday morning.
However, the PCJSS has denied any involvement in the attack on the army in Ruma. A press release signed by Sajib Chakma, deputy publicity secretary of the organization, said that there is no armed branch or cadre of Jana Sanghati Samiti.
According to ISPR, the army patrol team seized an SMG used by the terrorists, 265 rounds of ammunition, three ammunition magazines, three loaded guns, five rounds of ammunition, four pairs of uniforms and Rs 52,900 in extortion cash. The army has intensified patrolling in the area.
Bandarban Additional Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Pal said the bodies of the three terrorists killed in the incident in Bathipara area were handed over to Ruma police yesterday morning. Three bodies have been sent to Bandarban Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.
According to the police, army and local sources, the Bangladesh-India-Myanmar trilateral area is deeply forested and inaccessible, so local and foreign terrorists have set up camp there and carried out terrorist activities. In recent times, the number of cadres of Chittagong Hill Tracts Jana Sanghati Samiti has increased. Earlier, Arakan Army (AA) and Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) cadres had strong positions in the area. After they left, various terrorist groups started taking position in the area.
Locals said that after the incident last Wednesday night, there was anxiety among the residents of the surrounding villages.
The ancestral home of the slain senior warrant officer Habibur Rahman is at Mahipur in Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali. However, he moved to Bahalgachhia area of ward no. 1 of Patuakhali municipal town. His body will be sent there at the end of the official process.
‘ I’m sorry if I made a mistake, I’m going on an expedition ‘
According to the Patuakhali correspondent, Habibur Rahman’s eldest son Hasibur Rahman announced his father’s retirement a year later. The name of the new house is ‘Sena Niketan’. Dad returned there, but fought for the country and became a corpse.
Visiting the backyard yesterday, it was seen that the body was being prepared for burial. The area has become heavy with tears of relatives. Grieving relatives, locals and well-wishers have gathered there.
Hasibur Rahman said, ‘I could not talk to my father all the time. I could only talk when he called. Because, there was a network problem. Talked to Dad last night (Wednesday). “I’m sorry if I made a mistake, I’m on an expedition,” he said. ‘
The body of Habibur Rahman reached the area at 7.45 pm yesterday. After the janaza at the youth’s field, the body was buried with state honors at 7.30 pm.
Army officer Habibur Rahman has father, mother, wife and two sons. The younger son is also serving in the army.
Army members were also killed in 2019
Earlier, an army member was killed in a shootout with militants in Rangamati. On 16 August 2019, terrorists opened fire on a regular army patrol in the Poaitumukh area, four kilometers south of the Rajasthan Army camp in the Rangamati region. Soldier Nasim (19) was shot and seriously injured. The injured army member was immediately airlifted to Chittagong Combined Military Hospital. He died while undergoing treatment.
