# Abdul Gafoor Mahmud

Abdul Ghaffar Mahmud (born 01 March 1934) is a former chief of the Bangladesh Air Force. He negotiated the release of hostages from the hijacked Japan Airlines Flight 472. For his role in keeping the situation under control and securing the lives of every single passenger, the Japanese government conferred upon him the "Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star" awards.

## Early life

Mahmud was born on 1 March 1934. His father taught at a Aliya Madrasah and Mahmud studied at a Madrassah in Kolkata. After the 1947 Partition of India, he and his family moved to East Pakistan. He passed his matriculation from Dhaka Collegiate School in 1949. He passed his intermediate from Jagannath College.

## Career
### Pakistan Air Force

Mahmud joined the Pakistan Air Force in 1952. He was commissioned with the 16th GD(P) course as a pilot officer in the Pakistan Air Force on 2nd February 1954. After being commissioned he was sent to PAF Base Masroor for his fighter pilot training. He was posted to No. 14 Squadron PAF which was situated in Peshawar. In 1955 he was sent to Jet Conversion School. After completing his course from Jet Conversion School he was posted to No. 15 Squadron PAF which was also situated in PAF Base Masroor. He was sent to Flying Instructors School in September 1957 for a training course. After completing his course he was posted to Pakistan Air Force Academy as Instructor. In 1958 he was promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant. In 1960 he was sent to United States to complete his Basic Instructors Course. In 1964 he was sent to California State University to complete his Aerospace Safety and Aircraft Accident Investigation Course. He studied there for 6 months. Upon his return to Pakistan he was appointed as a member of Central Aircraft Accident Investigation Board. In 1965 he was posted to PAF Base Risalpur as the Commanding Officer of No. 4 Squadron PAF. He fought in the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965. He was awarded two war participation medals and Tamgha-i-Basalat for gallantry by the Pakistan government. After the war he was posted to No. 2 Squadron PAF as it's Commanding Officer. In 1967 he was posted to Flying Instructors School as it's Commanding Officer. In 1968 he was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander. In 1969 he was appointed as the Assistant Commandant of Pakistan Air Force Academy. In 1970 he went to PAF Air War College to complete his staff course. After completing his staff course he was posted to PAF HQ as the Deputy Director of Flying Training in July 1971.

### Bangladesh Air Force

He was repatriated to Independent Bangladesh in 1973 and was made Director (Operations and Engineering) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines on the orders of General M. A. G. Osmani. He resigned from Biman Bangladesh Airlines after the chairman of the airlines revoked the suspension of a pilot without his consultation. He found himself at a disadvantage at Bangladesh Air Force were promotion priority was given to veterans of Bangladesh Liberation War. After his departure from Biman Bangladesh Airlines he was posted to Chittagong as the Base Commander of Chittagong Air Base. After the 15 August 1975 Bangladeshi coup d'état and assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Chief of Air Staff, A. K. Khandker, was removed and posted to a diplomatic mission. Khandker was replaced by Muhammad Ghulam Tawab who was replaced by Khademul Bashar. Mahmud succeeded Bashar, who died in a plane crash, as Chief of Air Staff. In 1976 he was promoted to the rank of Air Commodore. In April 1976 he was made the Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Operations and Training) at the BAF HQ. He was the Chief of Bangladesh Air Force from 5 September 1976 to 8 December 1977. He was part of a delegation that asked President Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem to relinquish power in favor of General Ziaur Rahman.
In 1977 he negotiated with the Japanese Red Army who had hijacked Japan Airlines Flight 472 and landed the flight in Dhaka Airport. He worked to get the hostages freed. During the hostage crises on 1 October 1977 Bangladesh Air Force mutiny took place, Group Captain Ansar Chowdhury was killed beside Mahmud. Captain Sadik Hasan Rumi led an operation to rescue Abdul Gafoor Mahmud, Chief of Air Staff of Bangladesh Air Force. His brother in law Group Captain Raas Masud was killed in the mutiny. Squadron Leader Md. Abdul Matin and Wing Commander Anwar Ali Shaikh were also killed in the mutiny. Mahmud resigned in December 1977 over the fallout of the mutiny and subsequent mass trials.
Mahmud became the minister for food, health and rehabilitation in the cabinet of President Hussain Muhammad Ershad in 1982. He served there till January 1985.
In April 2017, Mahmud was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star for his role in negotiating with the hijackers of Japan Airlines Flight 472.

## Personal life

Mahmud married Syeda Asiya Begum in 1957 and they got a divorce in 1964. He remarried to Hasina Maya.