The 1st Bangladeshi Graduate of the Indian Military Academy

Mohammed Abir Hassan graduated from the Indian Military Academy, becoming the first Bangladeshi officer cadet to achieve the feat.

The military saw 372 graduates as part of the 2023 autumn term.

Among these were 29 people from 12 overseas countries.

Sri Lanka’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Shavendra Silva was the reviewing officer of the event.

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Indian Army’s Western Command Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Katiyar and Lieutenant General VK Mishra were in attendance.

Several delegates and family members of the graduates also attended the event.

When it comes to the overseas graduates, there were nine from Bhutan, four each from the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and three from Mauritius.

Nepal had two graduates while Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan had one graduate each.

General Silva congratulated the officer cadets for completing their training.

He said: “The men under their command would respect and salute the rank on their shoulders.

“True leadership also demands hard work, care for the team, sharing success and facing failure on their behalf.

“Loyalty and integrity to the nation, superiors and subordinates are paramount.”

Mohammed Abir Hassan is the first Bangladeshi to graduate.

He expressed pride in becoming the first person in his family to become an army officer.

Mohammed’s family could not attend the ceremony due to his sister’s exams but he spoke to them over the phone.

He plans to celebrate with them once he returns to Bangladesh.

Although Mohammed is the first person in his family to become an army officer, his family has a fighting history.

His late grandfather Mohammed Taju Mia was a freedom fighter during Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War.

Speaking about the achievement, the 23-year-old said:

“My dream came true today. What has added to my joy is that I am also the first in my family to become an army officer.

“If alive, my grandfather would have been proud.”

Defence attache at the Bangladesh High Commission, Brig Mohammed Hafiz-Ur-Rehman, who attended the event, called Mohammed’s achievement “a matter of immense pride for our country”.

He added: “The fact that he [Hassan] has become the first from Bangladesh to graduate from IMA would prove to be another step in strengthening our friendly ties with India.

“We are hopeful that there will be more cadets in future.”