NARAIL, Sept 5: The 54th martyrdom anniversary of Bir Shrestha Shaheed Lance Naik Noor Mohammad Sheikh, the valiant freedom fighter of the Liberation War, was observed with due respect and solemnity in the district on Friday.
The day's programme began in the morning at Nur Mohammad Nagar with a guard of honour, wreath-laying, and a special prayer at his memorial. Later, a discussion meeting was held at the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Noor Mohammad Sheikh Library and Memorial Museum Complex.
Deputy Commissioner Sharmin Akhter Jahan, Deputy Secretary Julia Sukayna, Additional Superintendent of Police Nur-e-Alam Siddiqui, Assistant Commissioner Debashish Adhikari, Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station Md. Sajedul Islam, freedom fighters, socio-cultural activists, political leaders, teachers, and students attended the programme.
Born on February 26, 1936, in Mahishkhola Village of Narail Sadar Upazila, Noor Mohammad joined the East Pakistan Rifles (EPR) in 1959 and was posted to the Dinajpur border. On July 10, 1970, he was transferred to Jashore and later joined Sector No. 8 under Captain Nazmul Hasan during the Liberation War.
On September 5, 1971, Noor Mohammad led a five-member patrol team in the Babra region of Jessore. When the Pakistani forces ambushed from three sides, he fought fiercely, even carrying a wounded comrade, Sepoy Nannu Mia, on his shoulder while continuing to fire.
Despite being shot in the shoulder, he refused to retreat, handed his light machine gun to a fellow fighter, and kept fighting with a rifle to protect his team. For his unmatched courage and supreme sacrifice, Noor Mohammad Sheikh was posthumously awarded the nation's highest gallantry title, Bir Shrestha.
Today, he is remembered as one of the brightest sons of the soil, who gave his life for the independence of Bangladesh.
