Saiful Azam
Encyclopedia
Saiful Azam is a pilot of the Bangladesh Air Force
. He was born in Pabna
, Bangladesh
in 1941. He spent most of his childhood in Calcutta. In 1947, his family moved to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) after the British left the subcontinent. He went to West Pakistan in 1955 where he attended high school until 1958. After that he joined the Pakistan Air Force
, where in 1960 he graduated as pilot.
aircraft. He was sent to Luke Air Force Base
, Arizona
in 1962 where he flew F-86 Sabres. After his training he returned to East Pakistan, where he was posted till 1963. In 1963 he was transferred to Pakistan Air Force base Mauripur. Here he served as the instructor for T-37 until 1966.
as part of the No. 17 squadron from Pakistan Air force base at Sargodha
. After returning from a successful ground attack, Azam's group encountered Indian Folland Gnat
interceptors; Azam shot down Flight Officer Mayadev of the Indian Air force. Azam was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat
, Pakistan's third highest military award. In 1966, he assumed the command of No. 2 squadron.
. He was deputized along with another Pakistan Air force, Flight Lieutenant Shad. When the Arab-Israeli war broke out in 1967 he flew a Hawker Hunter
of the No. 1 squadron for the Royal Jordanian Air Force. On June 5, 1967 Jordan's main base at Mafraq
was attacked by the Israeli Air Force
. Azam's was one of four Hunters immediately scrambled against a formation of four Israeli Dassault Super Mystère
aircraft. Azam shot down two Israeli fighters. He was awarded Jordan's Order of Istiqlal.
and stationed at H-3, an important strategic airfield based in western Iraq. The same day, the airbase was attacked by four Vatour
bombers escorted by two Mirage fighters of the Israeli Air force. Mirage pilot Captain Dror shot down two of the Iraqi fighters, but was in turn shot down by Azam. Azam also shot down the Vatour bomber flown by Captain Golan. Both of them were taken as prisoners of war
. Azam was awarded Iraq's medal of bravery the Nut al-Shujat
.
At present he is the Managing Director of Natasha Trading Agency Limited, which is involved in trading aircraft equipment. He is also directing a travel agency with his wife.
Bangladesh Air Force
The Bangladesh Air Force , is the air arm of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. Bangladesh Air Force currently employs more than 22,000 personnel including 600+ Pilots.-History:...
. He was born in Pabna
Pabna
Pabna is a town in Rajshahi Division ofBangladesh and the administrative capital of eponymous Pabna District. It is located on the north bank of Padma river and has a population of about 138,000.-Name:...
, 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...
in 1941. He spent most of his childhood in Calcutta. In 1947, his family moved to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) after the British left the subcontinent. He went to West Pakistan in 1955 where he attended high school until 1958. After that he joined the Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
, where in 1960 he graduated as pilot.
Early career
Azam was trained in Cessna T-37Cessna T-37
The Cessna T-37 Tweet is a small, economical twin-engine jet trainer-attack type aircraft which flew for decades as a primary trainer for the United States Air Force and in the air forces of several other nations...
aircraft. He was sent to Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located seven miles west of the central business district of Glendale, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is also about west of Phoenix, Arizona....
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
in 1962 where he flew F-86 Sabres. After his training he returned to East Pakistan, where he was posted till 1963. In 1963 he was transferred to Pakistan Air Force base Mauripur. Here he served as the instructor for T-37 until 1966.
Indian-Pakistan War
Azam flew in the September 1965 war with IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as part of the No. 17 squadron from Pakistan Air force base at Sargodha
Sargodha
Sargodha is a city in the Sargodha District of Punjab province, Pakistan.Sargodha is located in the northwest of Pakistan. It is the eleventh largest city of Pakistan and also known as Pakistan's best citrus-producing area. It is an agricultural trade centre with various industries...
. After returning from a successful ground attack, Azam's group encountered Indian Folland Gnat
Folland Gnat
The Folland Gnat was a small, swept-wing British subsonic jet trainer and light fighter aircraft developed by Folland Aircraft for the Royal Air Force, and flown extensively by the Indian Air Force....
interceptors; Azam shot down Flight Officer Mayadev of the Indian Air force. Azam was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat
Sitara-e-Jurat
Sitara-e-Jurat is the third highest military award of Pakistan. It was established in 1957 after Pakistan became a Republic; however, it was instituted retrospectively back to 1947...
, Pakistan's third highest military award. In 1966, he assumed the command of No. 2 squadron.
Jordanian Air force
In November 1966 he was sent as an adviser to the Royal Jordanian Air ForceRoyal Jordanian Air Force
The Royal Jordanian Air Force is the air force branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces.-Early days:...
. He was deputized along with another Pakistan Air force, Flight Lieutenant Shad. When the Arab-Israeli war broke out in 1967 he flew a Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
of the No. 1 squadron for the Royal Jordanian Air Force. On June 5, 1967 Jordan's main base at Mafraq
Mafraq
Mafraq is the capital city of Mafraq Governorate, Jordan, located 80 Km to the north from the Jordanian capital Amman in crossroad to Syria to the north and Iraq to the east. It has 58,954 inhabitants...
was attacked by the Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
. Azam's was one of four Hunters immediately scrambled against a formation of four Israeli Dassault Super Mystère
Dassault Super Mystère
|-See also:-References: http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/americas/el_salvador/El_Salvador-af-EscCazaBomb.htm...
aircraft. Azam shot down two Israeli fighters. He was awarded Jordan's Order of Istiqlal.
Iraqi Air force
On June 7, 1967 he transferred to the Iraqi Air ForceIraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force or IQAF is the military branch in Iraq responsible for the policing of international borders, surveillance of national assets and aerial operations...
and stationed at H-3, an important strategic airfield based in western Iraq. The same day, the airbase was attacked by four Vatour
Sud Aviation Vautour
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. Fighters of the Fifties. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1981. ISBN 0-85059-463-4.-External links:*...
bombers escorted by two Mirage fighters of the Israeli Air force. Mirage pilot Captain Dror shot down two of the Iraqi fighters, but was in turn shot down by Azam. Azam also shot down the Vatour bomber flown by Captain Golan. Both of them were taken as prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. Azam was awarded Iraq's medal of bravery the Nut al-Shujat
Bravery Medal
The Bravery Medal is a bravery decoration awarded to Australians. It is awarded for acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances. The BM was created in February 1975. The decorations recognise acts of bravery by members of the community. They selflessly put themselves in jeopardy to protect the...
.
Pakistan Air force
After finishing his tenure abroad he came back to East Pakistan in 1969. He was then appointed as the flight commander of a squadron where he flew Shenyang F-6; the Chinese built version of MiG-19. He also served as the flight commander in Fighter leader's school of Pakistan Air force.Bangladesh Air force
As Bangladesh achieved independence in the year of 1971, Azam came back to Bangladesh and Joined the newly formed Bangladesh Air force. At first he was appointed as the Director of Flight Safety. After that he served as the Director of Operations. He was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander in the year of 1977 and was handed over the command of Bangladesh Air force base situated in Dhaka. After a life of innumerable accomplishments Azam retired from the Air force in 1980 as a Group Captain.Retired life
Although after retirement Azam had a very busy life. He served in the following appointments accordingly:- Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority (twice),
- Managing Director, Film Development Corporation,
- Member of Bangladesh Parliament (1991-96)
At present he is the Managing Director of Natasha Trading Agency Limited, which is involved in trading aircraft equipment. He is also directing a travel agency with his wife.