Chittagong Club Recovers Body of Former Army Chief Harun-or-Rashid; Widespread Mourning

Police recovered the lifeless body of Lieutenant General (Retd.) Harun-or-Rashid, former chief of the Bangladesh Army, from a room at the Chittagong Club. The body was found on Monday (August 4) around 11 a.m. in room number 308 of the club near Kazir Dewri Mor in the city.

Md. Alomgir Hossain, Deputy Commissioner of South Division, Chittagong Metropolitan Police, said that Harun-or-Rashid had been at the club since Sunday afternoon around 5 p.m. When he did not respond by Monday morning, the club authorities alerted the police. Upon arrival, police broke down the door and recovered his body.

Initial reports suggest he died from a heart-related illness. However, to determine the exact cause, the body was sent to the morgue of Chittagong Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.

Harun-or-Rashid was commissioned into the Infantry Corps on September 6, 1970. He made significant contributions during his military career after Bangladesh’s Liberation War. After his first posting with the 4th East Bengal Regiment in Comilla, he served as the commander of Bangladesh’s contingent in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Georgia.

Known for his academic approach, he also taught at the Army Staff College and the Infantry and Tactics School. He assumed the position of Chief of Army Staff on December 24, 2000. During his tenure, the army faced several critical incidents, including the abduction of foreign surveyors in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

After retirement, he served as the vice-president of the Sector Commanders Forum and later became chairman of the Destiny Group. He was once arrested in connection with a financial fraud case involving Destiny Group but was released on bail due to health issues and age.

Harun-or-Rashid was also the first president of the Army Golf Club. In a 2015 discussion, he had identified Pakistan as a threat to Bangladesh’s national security.

His death has cast a shadow of mourning over the Bangladesh Army, Sector Commanders Forum, freedom fighter communities, and political circles. Rafiqul Amin, Managing Director of Destiny Group, said, “We received the news of his body recovery this morning. We are deeply saddened.”

The nation has lost a patriotic, skilled army officer and a proud freedom fighter whose voice was significant for the country’s liberation spirit.