A Fighter Who Gallantly Embraced Death

On September 24, 2024, Lieutenant Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon, a 23-year-old army officer of Bangladesh Army was stabbed to death by robbers while conducting an operation at East Maizpara in Chakaria's Dulahazara, Cox's Bazar. So far, Joint forces' have arrested 7 people in the incident. The seven arrested said in their initial confession that they were directly involved in the murder of Lieutenant Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon.

On September 24, 2024, at around 3 am, an army patrol team from Chakaria Army Camp went there to prevent robbery at East Maizpara in Chakaria's Dulahazara, Cox's Bazar. Sensing the presence of the patrol team, the robbers tried to fled while Lieutenant Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon chased some of the robbers. At one point, the robbers stabbed Lieutenant Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon three times in his throat and stabbed him in his left eye. He bled profusely due to severe throat injury and was declared brought dead by the attending doctor when he was taken to the hospital.

Lt. Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon's home is in Tangail district. He completed his Higher Secondary Education from Pabna Cadet College and got commissioned in Army Service Corps (ASC) on June 8, 2022 from Bangladesh Military Academy with 82nd long term course.

After only 2 years of his career in Bangladesh Army, Lieutenant Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon died while protecting his motherland. The question generally arises—how local terrorists can brutally kill a talented officer of Bangladesh Army like Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon—where are the roots of their power?

We have seen the murder of a retired army officer Major Sinha Mohammad Rashed Khan on 21 July 2020 at the checkpoint on Marine Drive Road in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar. Afterwards the court found evidences of involvement of Teknaf Model Police Station Officer-in-charge (OC) Pradeep Kumar Das in this murder case. In this incident, the court sentenced Pradeep Kumar Das and Inspector Liaquat Ali of Baharchhara Police Outpost to death, while the remaining six were sentenced to life imprisonment. The court termed the sensational incident as a "premeditated murder". Through this sensational occurrence at that time, a great distance was created between the army and the police force, according to reliable sources.

In 2024 incident, young Lieutenant Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon is murdered by local terrorists. Like the murdering of army officer Major Sinha in 2022—is there any 'sinister motive' in this murder? Who wants to destabilize the country and for what interests? What is behind the murdering of Lt. Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon? We demand exemplary punishment for those who are involved in this murder.

Lieutenant Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon's patriotism inspired him to lay down his life to protect the country. In the stream of history, the name of Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon will be written in golden letters. As the American writer and journalist Mark Twain once said: "Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." Lt. Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon has set an example of patriotism by sacrificing his life for the needs of the country. His patriotism is a great inspiration to other officers.

Bangladesh Army is working to keep the independence and sovereignty of the country intact by keeping this motto: "In War, In Peace, We are everywhere for our Nation". For this commitment to the country, we lost a talented soldier like Lieutenant Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon untimely. As the America's greatest battlefield commander General George S. Patton said: “The soldier is the Army. No army is better than its soldiers. The soldier is also a citizen. In fact, the highest obligation and privilege of citizenship is that of bearing arms for one's country.”

The people of this country will always remember Lieutenant Tanzim Sarwar Nirjon, a young patriotic soul, who sacrificed his life to protect his motherland and embraced martyrdom in the line of duty. May his departed soul rest in peace in the garden of paradise.


Emran Emon is a researcher, journalist and a columnist.