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An army general with philanthropic mind

QUAZI AmANULIAH, Khulna
The people in southwestern region will never forget Maj Gen Rafiqul Islam as they witnessed his untiring work to mitigate sufferings of affected people after cyclonic storm Sidr ravaged the area on November 15 in 2007.
With an excellent career in the army, Rafiqul Islam, GOC of 55 Infantry Division and Jessorc area corn mander, was equally committed to performing humanitarian tasks when there was a need.
As an army helicopter carrying Rafiq crashed at Elenga in Tangail on Monday morning, he along with pilot Lt Col Md Shahidul Islam died inside the same helicopter that had carried him to Sidr-hit areas to help the affected people.
Operation Ashar Alo' (Light of Hope), a programme for relief and rehabilitation work in Sidr-hit south-western region, was conducted under the guidance and supervision of Maj Gen Rafiq as troops of Bangladesh army quickly responded to the call to stand by the side of the hapless people.
He was never late in reaching the distressed Sidr-hit people with food and other relief goods, said Anwar Hossain Panchayet, chairman of Southkhali union parishad under Sharankhola upazila of Bagerhat district. He broke down in tears hearing tragic death of Gen Rafiq.
Rafiqul Islam who joined as GOC of 55 Infantry Division in March 2007, aho-|>Layed the tkqy rule in-
resolving the menacing waterlogging problem at Bhabadaho of Jessore, reforms of Benapole landport, preparation of national ID card and improving law and order situation in the outlaw-infested southwestern region after one-eleven changeover in the country.
The army officer with a philanthropist heart had survived a road accident on August 24 last year while on the way to Dhaka with his wife and children.
As the army jeep carrying Maj Gen Rafiq, his wife and children collided head-on with a Khulna-bound passen -ger bus of Eagle Paribahan near Goalando Ghat of Rajbari district, the jeep fell into a ditch and Maj Gen Rafiq and his family members sustained serious injuries.
Later they were treated Dhaka CMH.
C'O V f' ‘ B a rT’^'a 1
Correspondent adds: Hundreds of people paid their last respect to Maj Gen Rafiqul Islam as his body was brought to Banaripara upazila headquarters, his native town, by a helicopter yesterday noon.
Brig Gen Sakib, Col Hassan, local lawmaker Manirul Islam Moni, journalist Golam Sarwar, also cousin of the deceased, brother-in-law Osman Gani Shikdar and the late general's sons Rafib and Rabib accompanied the coffin.
Senior officials of the army and civil administration, noted citizens and hundreds of people took part in the janaza held there after the Zohr prayers.
The body was brought back to Dhaka after the janaza.
His namaj-e-janaza was also held at Jessore Osmani Stadium earlier yesterday, Reports BSS,