Mohammad Ruhul Amin

Ruhul Amin (Bengali: রুহুল আমিন), better known as Shaheed Mohammad Ruhul Amin (born 1935), was an engine room artificer in the Bangladesh Navy who was posthumously awarded the nation's highest bravery award, Bir Sreshtho, for his service during the Liberation War.

Early life

Bir Shrestho Ruhul Amin was born in 1935 at Bagpanchra village under sonaimuri upazila of Noakhali district. His father was Mohammad Azhar Patwari and mother was Zulekha Khatun. He was the eldest son of the family. Ruhul Amin finished his primary education from local schools and passed his matriculation from Sunaimuri High School in 1949. Soon afterwards, he joined the Pakistan Navy and went to Karachi for training. He took his training at the Pakistani Naval Base at Manora Island and later finished his professional training from the PNS Karsaz at Karachi.

Involvement at the Liberation War

At the start of Bangladesh Liberation War with Operation Searchlight, Amin immediately resigned from Pakistan Navy and left “PNS Comilla” at Chittagong and came back to his village. He organized local youths and soldiers for the war. At May, he along with 500 others joined at Sector-3 under Major K M Shafiullah. Later he enrolled at Palash, a warship of Bangladesh Navy and at the same time worked as the Squadron leader for both Padma and Palash.

On 10 December, an accident occurred at the Rupsha river in Khulna. Two of the warships of the Mukti Bahini named "Padma" and "Palash" mistakenly came under fire from the Indian Air Force as it crossed the river Rupsha near the Khulna shipyards. on this day. Earlier that day, Indian Air Force fired at different places of Khunla city. Incidentally one of those bombs had fallen at the warship "Palash". Ruhul Amin was working as an artificer of that ship. Both ships caught fire. After the heavy bombing, the engine room Caught fire and Ruhul Amin tried to extinguish it, ignoring orders to abandon ship. A shell exploded which caused his death. Another report suggest he swam ashore and was killed by Razakars.

Legacy

Ro Ro Ferry Bir Shreshtha Ruhul Amin was named after him.The Bangladesh Navy warship BNS Shaheed Ruhul Amin is named after him. Bir Shrestha Ruhul Amin Sarani is a road in Saidpur cantonment, Saidpur, nilphamari which is named after him. Bir Shrestha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittagong is named after him.

He had three daughters and one son. His son lives in poverty and struggles to make a living.