Nurul Islam Shishu

Shishu enlisted to Pakistan Military Academy on 1959 and was commissioned in the Pakistan Army Corps of Signals on 1962. Shishu served in 8th Signals battalion in Mangla Cantonment as staff officer and then in 32nd Signals battalion in Peshawar Cantonment during India–Pakistan war of 1965 as adjutant. Shishu was promoted to major in January 1971 and joined the Inter-Services Intelligence.^[7] He was sent to East Pakistan in 20 February for infiltration against All-Pakistan Awami League party to support lieutenant general Tikka Khan's upcoming operation. After having a gritty experience in Comilla, Shishu deliberately went rogue by disclosing his affiliation with the Pakistan Armed Forces.^[8]

He joined the Mukti Bahini and fought in the Bangladesh Liberation war as deputy quartermaster of Z Force.^[9] After the war, Shishu was promoted to lieutenant colonel and served as the defence attaché at the Bangladesh Embassy to Myanmar. Shishu later upgraded to colonel and served as station commander of Cumilla Cantonment. Shishu is one of pioneer commanders of the 86th Independent Signals brigade and furthermore the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps.^[10]

In 1976, Shishu was promoted to brigadier general and served as the Principal Staff Officer of the Supreme Command Headquarters under Ziaur Rahman ministry. He was promoted to major general on 1979 and retain his position at Supreme Headquarters till 2 June 1981 after which he served as an ambassador under Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Shishu went to leave per retirement in November 1986.^[11]

Shishu was made the acting convenor of the Jatiyatabadi Ganatantrik Dal, a political front which was the predecessor to the BNP. As Ziaur Rahman was the CMLA, he could not actively keep in contact with politicians to help form a party. Shishu kept communications with all the politicians on behalf of Ziaur Rahman. Shishu helped President Ziaur Rahman form the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and oversaw the recruitment of politicians into the party.^[12][13]

Shishu served as the Minister of Agriculture in the cabinet of President Ziaur Rahman. Most of the members of the Zia cabinet were vetted by Shishu on behalf of Zia.^[14] After the assassination of Ziaur Rahman, BNP was at the brink of factionalization. The largest faction of BNP wanted Shishu to take over as chairman of the party. Shishu put his support behind Justice Abdus Sattar instead and made him the chairman. Shishu played a vital role in inducting Khaleda Zia into the BNP. He later served as the acting General Secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party while Khaleda Zia was the chairperson of the party.^[15] He was dismissed from the post of minister by Hussain Mohammad Ershad.^[16]

He retired from Bangladesh Army, when he was 40, with the rank of Major General.^[17] Shishu retired from politics and moved to Oklahoma, United States in 1991.^[11][18]