On September 28, 1971, in Dimapur, Nagaland, the Bangladesh Air Force was established with one Chetak, one Armed Otter, one Dakota, nine officers, and fifty-seven men. This day marked the beginning of the Indian Air Force’s training of three pilots—Squadron Leader Sultan Ahmed, Flight Lieutenant Badrul Alam, and civilian pilot Captain Shahabuddin Ahmed—in Kilo flying at Dimapur, which was thought to be the first unit of the Bangladesh Air Force. The pilots were defectors from the Pakistan Air Force. When Bangladesh was founded on December 16, 1971, India sent Bangladesh the Kilo Flight planes, which were bullet-riddled but still capable of taking off, in Dhaka.
As part of the celebrations for Bangladesh Air Force Raising Day on October 31, 2023, twenty officers and members of the Bangladesh Air Force, under the command of Group Captain Tanvir Marzan, traveled to Dimapur with the goal of preserving the spirit of the Liberation War among the soldiers of the Bangladesh Forces. The Bangladesh Air Force has always demonstrated a strong interest in visiting significant sites that were relevant during the 1971 Liberation War. Officers and personnel of the IAF, including those from the Dornier and MI 17-V5 squadrons with a historical connection to the Kilo Flight, interacted with the personnel of the BAF. The tour honors the IAF’s contribution to Bangladesh’s liberation and demonstrates the close bonds and camaraderie between the air forces of the two nations.
