Respected/ Dear All,
Assalamu Alaikum wrwb. I hope you all are fine along with all members of your families.I would like to express my sincere gratitude and heartfelt thanks to all of you for your kind and caring concern for me. I guess, I should’ve sent this mail earlier informing the details, but somehow or the other, I’ve been passing very busy time (jobless people have many jobs !) over the last week. I’m finding it extremely difficult to manage my time, receiving 100s of calls/ mails/ sms and host of visitors. I haven’t been able to cope up with this volley of well wishers' response.
On top of that, Abba was in hospital since 29 June (he’s at home now, and fine Alhamd.). For all these, I remained very busy and couldn’t find few quiet moments, since 24 June, to gather my thoughts and prepare this earlier. Besides, I’ve also been trying to give max time to Abba-Amma to help them absorb this shock, perhaps one of the greatest in their lifetime. Well, in case you didn’t know, my last tour of duty was in the furthest cantonment (375 Km) from Dhaka, in a remote village (Kholahati, Parbatipur Upazilla under Dinajpur district), as Infantry Brigade Commander and the
Station Commander (the Logistics Commander of the whole cantonment).
In mid May, I became sick (due to weakness resulting from over-work) and was hospitalized on 14 May. I was released on 21 May and was given medical leave until 01 June. Suddenly, on 31 May, while on leave at Dhaka, the order for my attachment (like OSD in civil sector – no portfolio, no office, no work) with the headquarters (HQ) at Dhaka was brought out. I went back to my cantonment the following day. I was ordered to handover my command immediately and join Dhaka HQ (the reason for such urgency was unknown and seemed mysterious !). I wasn’t even given any joining time (10 days), which is my entitlement in similar cases, under normal circumstances. It’s not that I was badly needed here (no office, no one to command, nothing to do). I guess, the reason was to remove me from the command immediately, and then take subsequent action.
Anyway, I completed the handing over formalities and left Khoahati on 04 June. After the weekend, I reported to the HQ on 07 June. I was told by a responsible senior officer (Major General), the officer in charge of posting/ promotion/ retirement etc that, “I’m suspected by the Authority (!)” ! Which authority ? And, for what ? I wonder how much/ what else I needed to do/ show, after nearly 30 years in the military, to prove my honesty, integrity, dedication, commitment, loyalty and allegiance ! I’m certain that the whole Army, officers and men alike, if asked, will testify in my favour. Anyway, I met all concerned senior officers, but none, including the Chief of Army Staff (CAS), could tell me the reason.
No one could even confirm how long this situation would continue. To be honest, I wasn’t much bothered either. I had firm conviction on two things – firstly, ‘whatever Allah does, He does it for my betterment’; and secondly, “if Allah decides, I stay in the Army, no one can throw me out, and if Allah decides that I go out, the whole world cannot keep me tied down in the army’. With such convictions, should there be any reason for me to be worried ? Indeed not. I wasn’t at all concerned about what would happen to me. But, the situation was psychologically uncomfortable for me – ‘no task, but take pay’. I’ve a very strong sense of self-respect. It was pricking my conscience. I didn’t want to draw salary without doing any work. All my life, I’ve been proactive, and stretched myself to the extreme limits to do whatever I could.
Now, without any work, the situation was naturally unpleasant for me. I told all these things to the CAS (if you are interested to know about my conversation with the Chief on 21 June, let me know). What will happen to me was any body’s guess. In any case, I was getting mentally prepared to be ‘sent home’ on retirement, since this has been the culture in our country.
Days went by. I kept on reporting every day. But no news and no work, and widely varied peculations about me kept on increasing all around. Finally, the D Day came ! On 24 June, I was called at the HQ at 12:15 pm and handed over the letter of my “dismissal” by a senior Brigadier General. Before handing over the envelope containing the dismissal letter, the senior officer was emotionally choked.
He said, “Azmi, my heartbeat has increased and my hands are shivering. I don’t know what to say or do.” I remained calmed and requested him to remain calm, and hand me over the envelope. He did. I opened the envelope, read the “Dismissal Order” and just said, “Alhamdulillah”. With this reaction of mine, the senior officer became more emotional, his eyes full of tears. He came around the table, hugged me and said, “I’ve no language to express my sorrow.” I consoled him and told him, “Whatever comes, comes from Allah.” He then requested me to apply to the CAS for retirement benefit, but I boldly refused. I said, “Why sir ? Have I done any crime ? Am I a thief that I should beg apology and ask for forgiveness ? I haven’t done any crime and in no way I’m going
to beg for showing me mercy (!)/ magnanimity (!). I know that to the “authority” my BLOOD is the problem, but I’m proud of my blood.” The news of my “dismissal” not only shocked me or the Army.
The entire country and the whole Diaspora community, whoever has come to know, were also
utterly devastated. For last few days, my days have been too long and nights too short - I’ve become exhausted receiving phone calls, attending visitors and responding to mails. In fact, with the ‘Amar Desh’ news on 6 June, I’ve been suddenly turned in to a celebrity overnight! I’ve been asked many many questions by all/ most of you. Some of you asked me whether I was shown any cause for my dismissal. The answer is a BIG “NO”. Do they have any ? Nope ! If they did, they should/ could/ would have tried me. I was bold and still am very bold to face any allegation (because I know that I haven’t done anything wrong. To the authority, my blood perhaps seems impure (!), and as such, I’m considered a security hazard [have been considered all through last 30 years]).
I told this to the Chief [CAS] also on 21 June in his office at AHQ, though not exactly in the same language. They've (I wonder who all !) been trying to find an excuse (against me) to ‘throw me out’ for nearly last 30 years, but Alhamdulillah, never succeeded, because I've served, all through, as a true patriot soldier, with complete allegiance, loyalty, dedication, devotion and commitment, and obviously with full honour and dignity. Nevertheless, people who become blind when they've authority never think of Aakhirah and never learn lessons from history (so sad ! I feel pity for them !!). So, they never hesitate to do injustice. This is the first time, to the best of my knowledge (many senior serving and retired officers, and the Chief of the military law department confirmed this), in the history of BD Army, that an officer has been dismissed without any offence/ allegation/ charge/ trial and without allowing any scope to defend himself. I've filled my case in Allah's court, and I've firm conviction that my Allah'll certainly punish the zaleems (whoever it includes) very heavily, both in this world and hereafter. He is all powerful - "Wa makaru makarallah, Allahu khairul maakerin". For me, Allah is enough.
I'm eagerly and patiently waiting to see their reward (!), following Allah's verse, "Innallaaha maassoabirin". It may take some time, but I’m not in a hurry. At this time, I'm not at all worried or tensed, neither I'm bothered about this dismissal. Rather, now I'm even stronger than ever before, having gone through the events of last few days. For your information, I've been receiving innumerable calls/ mails/ sms for last few days, from Bangladesh (both army and civil), Europe, America, Canada, Africa - from all over the world. Host of visitors, both friends and family, are pouring in, and all of them, irrespective of age, relationship and profession, are expressing their deep concern and shock, condemning this great injustice and showing there solidarity with me. I'm also receiving calls from people I don't know or met before. Many are emotionally choked, unable to talk; some are even crying like babies.
I'm moved by their emotions, but unmoved for the dismissal, consoling them and getting stronger in my mind, with this support from so many people like you all. I feel so humbled when I find so many people loving me like that. I didn't realize that I was so much loved (I'm deliberately avoiding the word "popular", because that's a word military strongly dislikes [that could very well be one of the prime reasons for my dismissal], and by heart, I'm still a military man) by so many people all over the world ! I've strong conviction in my faith on Almighty that this is for my betterment, and my Allah will turn this apparently troubled situation into a pleasant and surprising reward for me.
I just want to relax for a while now, because after 30 long strenuous years in the military, I guess I deserve some respite before I start afresh, although I've come back empty handed (in fact, I’ve nearly Tk 4 lacs loan), since they have deprived me of all my pension rights. Please also note that, officers with even 12 years less service than me have gone for UN assignment twice, but I’ve been only once. The list of my deprivation and violation of human rights against me is l—o—n—g (I’m writing my biography in English. I wish to publish this from UK/ USA/ Canada/ Australia. I seek your help in this regard. Please look for a publisher. I’ll be grateful). Despite all these, I'm fine Alhamdulillah, and I’m certain that my Allah will keep me well. I’m happy to be reunited with Abba- Amma, my wife and the children.
For the first time in my life the authority brought me to Dhaka (only to dismiss me !!). I’m so pleased to be able to remain with my parents at their old age and do something for them, thereby making my accountability in akhirah little easier. Please pray for me and my family. Also pray so that Allah gives exemplary punishment to the “zaleems” in both dunya and akhirah. I also seek your prayers so that Allah arranges a respectable job for me at the earliest. May Allah take care of you all. Allah hafez.
- Former (!) Brig Gen A Amaan Azmi (AAA)
02 July 2009.
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