DHAKA: KM Shafiullah, Sector Commander of Bangladesh Forces Sector-3 during liberation war, has been selected as new chairman of Sector Commanders Forum.

The disclosure made after a meeting of forum at its Dhanmondi office on Friday.

Forum secretary general Harun Habib confirmed the matter to banglanews.

KM Shafiullah, also the 1st Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army, was replaced by AK Khandaker, Deputy Chief Commander of the country’s war of independence.

 On September 17, AK Khandaker, also former Awami League minister and former Air Vice-Marshal, resigned as Chairman of Sector Commanders Forum.

Besides, he withdrew his membership from three other organizations.

Recently, he made “derogatory remark” on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in his latest book ‘1971: Bhitore Baire’ (1971: Ins and Outs).

However, the book, that has created widespread criticism, commented specially on the historic 7 March speech of Bangabandhu prior to the war in 1971.

Moreover, a defamation case was filed against him under 500 and 501 sections of penal code in this connection.

BDST: 1532 HRS, SEP 19, 2014