Khademul Bashar

Air Vice-Marshal M Khademul Bashar (1 September 1935 – 1 September 1976) was Chief of Air Staff of the Bangladesh Air Force during 1976. He also held the office of Deputy Chief Martial Law Administrator and was in charge of the Ministry of Petroleum, the Ministry of Food and Civil Aviation and the Department of Tourism.

As Wing Commander he served as Senior Operations Officer of Tejgaon Air Base, including with responsibility of overall security of Dhaka International Airport until 27 March 1971. He was among the only two BAF officer's appointed as BDF Sector Commander during Bangladesh War of Independence with Pakistan by C-in-C Colonel M.A.G Osmani who appointed him BDF Commander Sector 6. The other officer being Squadron Leader M. Hamidullah Khan, who was serving as Asst. Provost Marshal and second in command of security and investigations at PAF Tejgaon Air Base and Dacca International Airport until March 1971. Later on November 3 C-in-C Col. M.A.G Osmani appointed M. Hamidullah Khan as BDF Commander Sector 11.

Bashar was born in Chatarbaria, Shingra, Natore and educated at Satkhira Prananath High School and Rajshahi College.^[1]

Death

Bashar died on 1 September 1976 in an air crash. He was attending the inauguration of the Flying Instructors School at Tezgaon in Dhaka. On its maiden flight, an NZAI Air Tourer rolled over and crashed nose down into the airfield. Both the pilot Sqn Ldr Haq and Bashar were killed instantly.^[2] BAF Base at Tejgaon, Dhaka has been renamed Base Bashar in his honour.

References

1. Rahman, FM Mostafizur (2012). "Bashar, Air Vice Marshal M Khademul". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
2. Chronological Listing of Bangla-Deshi Air Force Losses & Ejections