1st East Bengal Regiment

1st East Bengal Regiment is the oldest battalion of the East Bengal Regiment (the first of the two infantry regiments in the Bangladeshi Army, the other being the Bangladesh Infantry Regiment). The unit was raised in 1948 at Kurmitola in Dhaka in what was then East Pakistan from two Bengal Muslim Pioneer Corps (1256 and 1407) of British Indian Army Pioneer Corps of Bihar Regiments, the war raised auxiliary force created to support the war effort in engineering and infantry role. These two companies were mainly composed of Bengali Muslims who had fought bravely in the Burma sector during the Second World War and as such had been retained by the British Government with the mainstream of the British-Indian Army. These two companies immediately after the partition of India in August 1947 moved from Jalna the Indian Pioneer Corps Centre initially to Pelkhana then to Kurmitola (which is now Dhaka Cantonment).

The unit was established on 15 February 1948 when Ayub Khan was serving as the general officer commanding of the 14th Infantry Division, Dhaka. ^[2] The pioneer commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel V J E Patterson,^[3] whereas the first Bengali to command the unit was Lt. Col. M. A. G. Osmani.^[4]

The 1st EBR was deployed near the Bambawali-Ravi-Bedian Canal to protect Lahore, one of the major Pakistani cities and fought in the Battle of Kasur. The unit was then under the command of Lt. Col. ATK Haque. It was a part of the 11th Infantry Division, under 106 Infantry Brigade.^[5] Under the command of Lt Col Haque, the unit showed immense bravery in the battlefield, earning 3 Sitara-e-Jurat, 7 Tamgha-e-Jurat, 3 Imtiazi Sanad, 1 Tamgha-e-Quaid-e-Azam and 1 Tamgha-e-Basalat in the 1965 War.^[6] The 1st EBR was considered one of the most decorated units of that time.^[7][8]

The unit was assigned at the Jessore Cantonment under 14th Infantry Division right before the 1971 War. Under the command of the then Captain Hafiz, the unit revolted against Pakistan Army. ^[9][10] After the war began, three brigade sized formations were established and the unit was a part of the Z Force, which was being commanded by Ziaur Rahman.^[11] The unit fought in some of the major battles, including the Battle of Dhalai, Battle of Sylhet, Battle of Kamalpur and so on. ^[12][13] The unit participated in other battles and operations at various places of the country.^[14] For the gallantry performance in the war, the unit won 1 Bir Sreshtho, 6 Bir Uttom, 23 Bir Bikrom and 9 Bir Protik, becoming one of the most decorated Bangladeshi units.^[15][16][17]

After the 1971 War, the unit continues to serve in the army. The unit was deployed during the Gulf War as Bangladesh was a part of the collation and had sent a contingent of soldiers.^[18][19]

From 1979 to 1981 Lt. Colonel Abdul Mohit Khan, psc. commanded the battalion with immense enthusiasm and made it best performing regiment for those years in Chittagong area or 24 division. It got first position in all sports and tactics activities. His son Col Salahuddin Khaled got commissioned in the same unit in 1909s and later became the commanding officer (CO). It’s first in Bangladesh Army history father and son commanding same battalion.

The unit has played crucial role in aid to civil power multiple times in the history.^[20]