PanzerKiel
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*Tale of a 'Senior Tiger'*
It's a true story of 1992. I was Commanding an Infantry Battalion in Dhaka Brigade.
Maj Gen Lehrasab Khan (later on he possibly retired as Lt Gen after commanding a corps) of Pakistan Army visited Bangladesh.
At that time, he was Commandant, Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) at Kakul.
During his visit, I accompanied him through out his stay in Bangladesh as conducting officer.
1 E Bengal's 'nom-de-plume' is 'Senior Tiger'.
It's an age old worldwide tradition to have a 'nom-de-plume' for each Battalion in all the Armies.
Since Pakistan time till date, officers and men commissioned and also posted in 1 E Bengal are considered to be the fortunate ones.
It's because of the very rich past traditions and heritage of this Battalion.
It's also because, it is the 1st Battalion of The East Bengal Regiment, which is the proud possession of all Bangalees since pre-liberation time to date. Like all other officers and men, Gen Lehrasab was also a blind follower and front liner of the 'Senior Tigers'.
Maj Gen Lehrasab along with Maj Gen (Retd) Abdus Salam, rcds, psc (course mate) was initially commissioned in 4 E Bengal, which was being raised in the lines of 1 E Bengal at Comilla Cantonment during Pakistan period.
Subsequently, due to some reason, Gen Lehrasab was finally reposted to 1 E Bengal.
It is learnt that although he was a non-Bangalee officer, Gen Lehrasab was a very popular and very active member of 1 E Bengal.
It is further learnt that out of love and affection 'Senior Tigers' used to call Gen Lehrasab as 'Lehri Saab'.
During the Liberation War, Gen Lehrasab (the then Maj Lehrasab) was with 1 E Bengal at Jessore Cantonment.
He left 1 E Bengal quite late during the Liberation War in 1971. It is heard that Bangalee officers and men told Major Lehrasab that they would not kill him. They said, "Lehri Saab, Tum Bhag Jao" (they asked Maj Lehrasab to run away).
Maj Lehrasab left 1 E Bengal and joined a Baluch Regiment (Pakistani Unit) in Jessore area and again fought against 'Senior Tigers'.
Towards the end of the Liberation War, Maj Lehrasab was evacuated to Pakistan when sustained serious injury in a mine blast.
To conduct the whole visit of Gen Lehrasab, I under went number of briefings. But, I was really alarmed by the security briefing from the desk officer of Military Intelligence Directorate.
I was told that visiting Gen is a very high risked man in Bangladesh because of his role during Liberation War. At the same time, I was instructed that all his requests must also be met during his entire visit because he was one of the very popular member of 'Senior Tigers'.
In fact, it was a real dilemma for me as a conducting officer.
Gen Lehrasab was accommodated in Hotel Sonargaon.
On his very arrival, he handed me over a long list of very senior officers and their families of 'Senior Tigers' with a view to meet every one of them.
As a 'Tiger Officer', today I have no shame to accept that at that time, even I myself did not have the opportunity to meet some of those senior officers.
He requested that he would go personally to the houses of those officers to meet them and their families.
No doubt, it was a Herculean task for me to guide and accompany Gen Lehrasab as per his desire and also by the directions of my authority.
During the visit of Gen Lehrasab, for a week or so, it was always dawn to very late night schedule everyday for me.
In those days, for me, a paracetamol (pain killer) and an anti histamine tablet was a must before retiring every night.
In fact, his each day's visit was a surprise for me when I saw his depth of understanding about Regimentation and Comradeship for 'Senior Tigers', irrespective of rank and file.
Frankly speaking, every day's programme brought new experiences for me.
One evening, Gen Lehrasab was to call on Mrs. ATK Haque, wife of Late Col ATK Haque, SJ, a very senior 'Tiger Officer'.
Because of some reason, we were half an hour late. On arriva in Mrs. ATK Haque's residence, we were asked by the caretaker to wait in the drawing room.
We kept on waiting and waiting.
It was about 40 minutes, when Mrs. ATK Haque appeared and welcomed us by saying, "Lehrasab, was this your sense of timing at this age and service"?
I kept mum.
I saw, Gen Lehrasab was not finding suitable words to apologise then and then.
However, after few moments situation became normal.
During that meeting, for me - it was just stand by listening mode only.
The whole talk of regimental feeling, comradeship and fellow feeling went over my head.
On our way back, Gen Lehrasab told me, "you see Noor, we had to wait for the Madam for 40 minutes for half an hour late arrival there".
Gen Lehrasab called on Gen Afsar (now late Gen Afsar, we may not take the actual name of this Bangladeshi 'Senior Tiger') in his residence.
Gen Afsar is senior to Gen Lehrasab. During recollection of their young age activities, it was all about Gen Afsar's pre-marriage stories.
From Gen Afsar's side, when marriage proposal was given to girl's family, due to some reason, Gen Afsar was asked to think over the marriage issue for a year or so by the girl (now the wife of Gen Afsar) to take the final decision of marrying her.
That became a very hot subject in the Battalion at that time.
To peruse the challenge and considering prestige issue, Gen Afsar asked all the officers junior to him in the Battalion including Gen Lehrasab to produce at least one draft 'love letter' each fortnight.
Out of those, the edited final one used to be sent to the to be bride.
This standing operating procedure of exchanging beautiful 'love letters' continued for one complete year without fail.
However, ultimately the marriage took place. Since then, Gen Afsar spent a happily married life with children.
However, Gen Afsar is no more in this world (innah ------------ rajeun).
Our earnest prayer for the departed soul.
On the last day, Gen Lehrasab again made a farewell call to Gen Afsar. This day also we were very late for the call due to other commitments. It was sometimes past mid-night, when we knocked the door of Gen Afsar, he along with his son opened the door.
On seeing Gen Lehrasab, Gen Afsar gave big laughter and told his son, "here comes 'The Senior Tiger' - may he be very old and very late.
He further added, a 'Senior Tiger', never misses/forgets appointments may it be too late at night, my son"?
Gen Afsar's son nodded his head only with big eyes.
Gen Afsar also gave a victorious posture in front of us!
Subsequently, talks about 'Senior Tigers' kept on going till very very late, when I had to remind Gen Lehrasab that he was to leave for the airport very early next morning!
Gen Lehrasab visited a place named Churamonkathi near Jessore area where one of the biggest tank-battle was fought during the Liberation War 1971 and Gen Lehrasab took active part with his Pakistani Battalion and got injured and evacuated to Pakistan.
During that visit in the field he told me that he would like to meet a 1 E Bengal's retired Bangalee soldier named Lance Naik (now called Lance Corporal) Dalil Uddin (presently canteen contractor of CMH, Dhaka) who was seriously injured by a bomb blast during Indo-Pak war in 1965.
I passed the request to the desk officer of MI Dte and they confirmed that the individual would be available at the heli pad when Gen Lehrasab returns to Dhaka.
On return to Dhaka, at Tejgaon heli pad, it was a real scene to observe.
Gen Lehrasab got down from the helicopter and embraced retired Lance Naik Dalil Uddin.
Both of them kept on weeping like kids, when everything and everybody around them were mum.
On breaking silence, Gen Lehrasab said, "Dalil, aaj tumhe zinda dekh kar mera zindigi ka ek maksad pura ho gaya"(Dalil, seeing you alive, one of the aim of my life, is fulfilled today).
Still today, for me, what Gen Lehrasab meant is only known to him?
At that time, sitting in the car, on way back to Hotel Sonargaon, I only kept on asking myself that is this called Comradeship?
Fellow feeling for those 'Men at Arms' we Command?
In fact, retired Lance Naik Dalil Uddin was a very close soldier of Gen Lehrasab, when they were in the same rifle company in 'Senior Tiger'.
The million-dollars question still haunts me every now and then all these days and frankly speaking, I have no answers to those questions as yet?
A little bit of solace of mind I have only with the idea I have gathered from the great saying, "a soldier never dies, he fades away" - may be, that is what it is!
May ALLAH (swt) bless us all - Aameen!
It's a true story of 1992. I was Commanding an Infantry Battalion in Dhaka Brigade.
Maj Gen Lehrasab Khan (later on he possibly retired as Lt Gen after commanding a corps) of Pakistan Army visited Bangladesh.
At that time, he was Commandant, Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) at Kakul.
During his visit, I accompanied him through out his stay in Bangladesh as conducting officer.
1 E Bengal's 'nom-de-plume' is 'Senior Tiger'.
It's an age old worldwide tradition to have a 'nom-de-plume' for each Battalion in all the Armies.
Since Pakistan time till date, officers and men commissioned and also posted in 1 E Bengal are considered to be the fortunate ones.
It's because of the very rich past traditions and heritage of this Battalion.
It's also because, it is the 1st Battalion of The East Bengal Regiment, which is the proud possession of all Bangalees since pre-liberation time to date. Like all other officers and men, Gen Lehrasab was also a blind follower and front liner of the 'Senior Tigers'.
Maj Gen Lehrasab along with Maj Gen (Retd) Abdus Salam, rcds, psc (course mate) was initially commissioned in 4 E Bengal, which was being raised in the lines of 1 E Bengal at Comilla Cantonment during Pakistan period.
Subsequently, due to some reason, Gen Lehrasab was finally reposted to 1 E Bengal.
It is learnt that although he was a non-Bangalee officer, Gen Lehrasab was a very popular and very active member of 1 E Bengal.
It is further learnt that out of love and affection 'Senior Tigers' used to call Gen Lehrasab as 'Lehri Saab'.
During the Liberation War, Gen Lehrasab (the then Maj Lehrasab) was with 1 E Bengal at Jessore Cantonment.
He left 1 E Bengal quite late during the Liberation War in 1971. It is heard that Bangalee officers and men told Major Lehrasab that they would not kill him. They said, "Lehri Saab, Tum Bhag Jao" (they asked Maj Lehrasab to run away).
Maj Lehrasab left 1 E Bengal and joined a Baluch Regiment (Pakistani Unit) in Jessore area and again fought against 'Senior Tigers'.
Towards the end of the Liberation War, Maj Lehrasab was evacuated to Pakistan when sustained serious injury in a mine blast.
To conduct the whole visit of Gen Lehrasab, I under went number of briefings. But, I was really alarmed by the security briefing from the desk officer of Military Intelligence Directorate.
I was told that visiting Gen is a very high risked man in Bangladesh because of his role during Liberation War. At the same time, I was instructed that all his requests must also be met during his entire visit because he was one of the very popular member of 'Senior Tigers'.
In fact, it was a real dilemma for me as a conducting officer.
Gen Lehrasab was accommodated in Hotel Sonargaon.
On his very arrival, he handed me over a long list of very senior officers and their families of 'Senior Tigers' with a view to meet every one of them.
As a 'Tiger Officer', today I have no shame to accept that at that time, even I myself did not have the opportunity to meet some of those senior officers.
He requested that he would go personally to the houses of those officers to meet them and their families.
No doubt, it was a Herculean task for me to guide and accompany Gen Lehrasab as per his desire and also by the directions of my authority.
During the visit of Gen Lehrasab, for a week or so, it was always dawn to very late night schedule everyday for me.
In those days, for me, a paracetamol (pain killer) and an anti histamine tablet was a must before retiring every night.
In fact, his each day's visit was a surprise for me when I saw his depth of understanding about Regimentation and Comradeship for 'Senior Tigers', irrespective of rank and file.
Frankly speaking, every day's programme brought new experiences for me.
One evening, Gen Lehrasab was to call on Mrs. ATK Haque, wife of Late Col ATK Haque, SJ, a very senior 'Tiger Officer'.
Because of some reason, we were half an hour late. On arriva in Mrs. ATK Haque's residence, we were asked by the caretaker to wait in the drawing room.
We kept on waiting and waiting.
It was about 40 minutes, when Mrs. ATK Haque appeared and welcomed us by saying, "Lehrasab, was this your sense of timing at this age and service"?
I kept mum.
I saw, Gen Lehrasab was not finding suitable words to apologise then and then.
However, after few moments situation became normal.
During that meeting, for me - it was just stand by listening mode only.
The whole talk of regimental feeling, comradeship and fellow feeling went over my head.
On our way back, Gen Lehrasab told me, "you see Noor, we had to wait for the Madam for 40 minutes for half an hour late arrival there".
Gen Lehrasab called on Gen Afsar (now late Gen Afsar, we may not take the actual name of this Bangladeshi 'Senior Tiger') in his residence.
Gen Afsar is senior to Gen Lehrasab. During recollection of their young age activities, it was all about Gen Afsar's pre-marriage stories.
From Gen Afsar's side, when marriage proposal was given to girl's family, due to some reason, Gen Afsar was asked to think over the marriage issue for a year or so by the girl (now the wife of Gen Afsar) to take the final decision of marrying her.
That became a very hot subject in the Battalion at that time.
To peruse the challenge and considering prestige issue, Gen Afsar asked all the officers junior to him in the Battalion including Gen Lehrasab to produce at least one draft 'love letter' each fortnight.
Out of those, the edited final one used to be sent to the to be bride.
This standing operating procedure of exchanging beautiful 'love letters' continued for one complete year without fail.
However, ultimately the marriage took place. Since then, Gen Afsar spent a happily married life with children.
However, Gen Afsar is no more in this world (innah ------------ rajeun).
Our earnest prayer for the departed soul.
On the last day, Gen Lehrasab again made a farewell call to Gen Afsar. This day also we were very late for the call due to other commitments. It was sometimes past mid-night, when we knocked the door of Gen Afsar, he along with his son opened the door.
On seeing Gen Lehrasab, Gen Afsar gave big laughter and told his son, "here comes 'The Senior Tiger' - may he be very old and very late.
He further added, a 'Senior Tiger', never misses/forgets appointments may it be too late at night, my son"?
Gen Afsar's son nodded his head only with big eyes.
Gen Afsar also gave a victorious posture in front of us!
Subsequently, talks about 'Senior Tigers' kept on going till very very late, when I had to remind Gen Lehrasab that he was to leave for the airport very early next morning!
Gen Lehrasab visited a place named Churamonkathi near Jessore area where one of the biggest tank-battle was fought during the Liberation War 1971 and Gen Lehrasab took active part with his Pakistani Battalion and got injured and evacuated to Pakistan.
During that visit in the field he told me that he would like to meet a 1 E Bengal's retired Bangalee soldier named Lance Naik (now called Lance Corporal) Dalil Uddin (presently canteen contractor of CMH, Dhaka) who was seriously injured by a bomb blast during Indo-Pak war in 1965.
I passed the request to the desk officer of MI Dte and they confirmed that the individual would be available at the heli pad when Gen Lehrasab returns to Dhaka.
On return to Dhaka, at Tejgaon heli pad, it was a real scene to observe.
Gen Lehrasab got down from the helicopter and embraced retired Lance Naik Dalil Uddin.
Both of them kept on weeping like kids, when everything and everybody around them were mum.
On breaking silence, Gen Lehrasab said, "Dalil, aaj tumhe zinda dekh kar mera zindigi ka ek maksad pura ho gaya"(Dalil, seeing you alive, one of the aim of my life, is fulfilled today).
Still today, for me, what Gen Lehrasab meant is only known to him?
At that time, sitting in the car, on way back to Hotel Sonargaon, I only kept on asking myself that is this called Comradeship?
Fellow feeling for those 'Men at Arms' we Command?
In fact, retired Lance Naik Dalil Uddin was a very close soldier of Gen Lehrasab, when they were in the same rifle company in 'Senior Tiger'.
The million-dollars question still haunts me every now and then all these days and frankly speaking, I have no answers to those questions as yet?
A little bit of solace of mind I have only with the idea I have gathered from the great saying, "a soldier never dies, he fades away" - may be, that is what it is!
May ALLAH (swt) bless us all - Aameen!
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