It was back in 2001. I was busy with my mundane staff job at the Chittagong division of the Bangladesh Army. It was a pivotal appointment to steer the affairs of the largest formation of the Bangladesh Army engaged in Chittagong Hill Tracts -- a job the army continues to perform till date.
A general well known for his professionalism and his down to earth traits had taken over just a week back. I was still tired from the hectic work that had gone into the process of bidding farewell to a general and welcoming the new incumbent. In fact, a transition in command always involves a lot of work for the subordinates and demands a great deal of flexibility on their part.
I was relaxing over my morning cup of tea on a Friday morning when I got a message that a soldier had been shot at Bandarban as an army patrol was fired upon while moving along the Sangu river. I could gather that a doctor was already with the patrol. The land phone rang and the general was on the other side.
He inquired about the incident. Before I could answer in full, the general asked me how much time it would take for a chopper to fly to the spot. I was taken aback since I could not understand why he would go to an area where an exchange had just taken place.
I informed him that 30 minutes would be required to get the chopper ready, hurriedly changed into uniform, and managed to reach the helipad to fly with the general. Following the twists and turns of the river, we spotted the patrol within a short while.
The general asked the pilot to land on the white sand. The pilot was naturally a little hesitant as he knew of the recent shooting, and said it could be risking the chopper being fired upon. The general pointed at our patrol and said: “Don’t you see our armed patrol over there? Do you think the miscreants can still afford to be around? Why are you scared? I am taking full responsibility and asking you to land.”
As we landed, the doctor, a young captain came running as two soldiers carried the wounded one on a makeshift stretcher. The wounded soldier was bleeding profusely as a bullet had managed to pierce through his left ear lobe, miraculously leaving any other body part unscathed.
We hospitalized him who recovered soon enough. Later, as I could gather from the doctors, any delay in evacuating the soldier could have resulted in death due to excessive bleeding. The general had been a godsend for the fortunate soldier.
In a routine to keep the ranks and files in good shape, the army carries out a route march every month which is actually a 20 kilometre walk with weapons and gear on. The division headquarters was preparing for the event. The general called me to talk about the conduct.
I explained that there would be a dozen officers and 300 men who would walk 10km, have a rest at the midpoint, consume some snacks, and walk back to the cantonment. It was common practice for a pick-up truck to accompany the men, carrying the food, a waiter or two to serve, and some campstools for the officers to sit on at the recess.
The general told me that no transport will accompany. I looked dismayed, thinking as to how it was possible to carry out the event without minimum transport support. He asked me to get sandwiches prepared for the officers who would carry those in their side packs.
The following evening, we started with the general walking with us. At the midpoint as we paused, he sat down on the grass and all officers followed suit. Everyone had their snacks and water and were ready to resume. The general called me aside and said: “Now do you find it possible to carry out a route march without a transport accompanying you?” I nodded and said: “Yes sir.”
Such are the leaders who leave a deep and lasting impression with their handling of crises, their calm demeanour, superb human qualities, immaculate care for their subordinates, and leading by example. They are the bright ones who get tested and seasoned through decades of exposure through trying conditions, both at home and abroad, and earn and deserve the highest seats in command.
There are different styles of leadership suiting various environments, whether it is in the military, corporate world, or political arena. In all spheres, we need leaders who take responsibility, are upright, loyal to the organization, and caring towards their subordinates. We need the ones who take risks, are determined to accomplish the mission with optimum utilization of resources, and are concerned about the well-being of their subordinates and peers.
Brig Gen Qazi Abidus Samad, ndc, psc (Retd) is a freelance contributor. Email: [email protected].
