Valour of ordinary people

	Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Quazi Sajjad Ali Zahir Bir Protik

Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Quazi Sajjad Ali Zahir Bir Protik was born on 11 April, 1951. He was commissioned in 78 Field Regiment Artillery in West Pakistan in 1971. As the war broke out, immediately he defected from the Pakistan Army, crossed to India through the Jammu-Kashmir border and joined the liberation war. He took part in combats against enemy forces in greater Sylhet area during the war. He fought in the battles at Borolekha, Juri, Shamsher Nagar, Kulaura, Mongla Bazar and Sylhet town. He was awarded the gallantry award Bir Protik for his bravery in the war.

He has authored twenty-six books on the liberation war. He was a government representative in the Committee formed to bring the mortal remains of Bir Shreshtho Hamidur Rahman and is presently working for bringing mortal remains of other freedom fighters from India. He retired from service in 1982. Ever since then, he has continued to research the history of our liberation war. His more than three-decade-long research has resulted in several books including the four-volume Deshtake Bhalobeshe. In bringing out significant events and incidents of the war, his predilection has always been for the valour and sacrifices of the common people. Both as a freedom fighter and researcher, he has realized how the tremendous contributions of the commoners have yet to be recounted in the annals of our history. In this issue we publish the accounts of only a few ordinary people in winning the war. All the stories are researched and written by Lt Col Sajjad.