Pakistanisage
PROFESSIONAL
Not necessarily. A man with knowledge of history does not have to be a Razakar to tell the truths of the past. As I said earlier, we were proud Pakistani before a war was imposed unnecessarily in 1971 March. Now, we are proud Bangladeshis.
There was NO brutality before 1971. Any war is full of savageries and brutalities, and 1971 saw brutality from both sides. Before 1971 it was normal as usual, the politicians were bickering and throwing muds at each other.
Note that military people do not move without order. So, we cannot just say PA was brute. It was the decision of the high Command that propelled them to become brute. We also did the same thing. So, what is the fuss?
I have fond memories of my Fellow officers from Bengal who served with me in the Pakistan Air Force. Inspite of all the Acrimony that spills out from members of Awami League, our fellow officers who returned to Bangladesh from Pakistan maintained excellent relationship with their Pakistani colleagues and with good reason. Even during the worst of times , our Bangladeshi Colleagues were protected by us and all of them safely returned home to Bangladesh. I know this because I was there and there never was any hostility between us and Bangali officers serving in Pakistan Air force. Till the last day we saluted our seniors from East Pakistan and they continued to salute their West Pakistani senior officers. My colleague Fakhrul Azam ( 52nd GDP - PAF) returned to Bangladesh to eventually become Chief of Air Staff in the Bangladesh Air Force and retired in April 2007 as an Air Vice Marshal ( The highest rank in Bangladesh Air Force ).
To this day, we feel proud of our Colleagues and fellow officers from Bangladesh and it is an emotional reunion whenever we get together. Air Vice Marshal Fakhrul Azam was the last link between Pakistan Air Force and Bangladesh Air Force, but we hope that the goodwill generated by these good men will continue.