Abdul Gani
Encyclopedia
Major Abdul Gani (1919-November 11, 1957) was a Bengali
military officer.
, Bengal
(now in Bangladesh
). He studied in Comilla, and later in Calcutta, where, in 1940, he graduated from Calcutta Islamia College
.
in 1941, during the Second World War. He was commissioned as a lieutenant, and fought in the Burma sector. As a mark for his courage, he was nicknamed "Tiger Gani".
Following the Partition of India
, he was promoted to the post of captain in 1948. He was in charge of one of the Pioneer Companies of 1st East Bengal Regiment
. He retired from the Army in 1954.
in East Pakistan
.
, West Germany
. He had gone there as the leader of the Pakistan delegation at World Veteran Soldiers' Conference. He was buried in Mainamati
Cantonment in Comilla.
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
military officer.
Early life
Gani was born in Burichang Upazila of Comilla DistrictComilla District
The district of Comilla consists 4543 mosques, 379 temples, 98 churches, 34 Buddhist temples and six tombs.-Places of interest:Important landmarks include Kotbari, a cantonment, or military installation and Kandirpar, considered the heart of the Comilla district...
, Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
(now in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
). He studied in Comilla, and later in Calcutta, where, in 1940, he graduated from Calcutta Islamia College
Maulana Azad College
Maulana Azad College is located in central Calcutta, West Bengal, India. It is located near the junction of Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road and SN Banerjee Road, popularly called "Lotus crossing".It is a Government college and affiliated to the University of Calcutta...
.
Military career
Abdul Gani joined the British Indian ArmyBritish Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
in 1941, during the Second World War. He was commissioned as a lieutenant, and fought in the Burma sector. As a mark for his courage, he was nicknamed "Tiger Gani".
Following the Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, he was promoted to the post of captain in 1948. He was in charge of one of the Pioneer Companies of 1st East Bengal Regiment
East Bengal Regiment
-History:The East Bengal Regiment was formed in 1948 following Pakistan's creation from the Partition of British Raj in South Asia. As part of the agreement, the Muslim population of what was previously known as British Empire in South Asia were given their own state of Pakistan, made up of West...
. He retired from the Army in 1954.
Political career
Gani joined politics in 1954 and became a member of the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly as an independent candidate. During his tenure, he was instrumental in proposing the foundation of a Cadet CollegeCadet College
Cadet Colleges are special institutions which aim to produce students capable of leading the country and also act as skilled Army Officers. These institutions were primarily constructed in accordance with the Public Schools of England....
in East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
.
Death
Gani died on November 11, 1957, in FrankfurtFrankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. He had gone there as the leader of the Pakistan delegation at World Veteran Soldiers' Conference. He was buried in Mainamati
Mainamati
Mainamati is located almost 8 miles from the town of Comilla, Bangladesh. It is the home of one of the most important Buddhist archaeological sites in the region. There are a number of Buddhist sites in this region, dating approximately from 7th to 12th centuries CE...
Cantonment in Comilla.