‘Living Eagle’ Saiful Azam no more

Group captain (Retd) Saiful Azam, one of the greatest Bangladeshi fighter pilots of all time, died at a hospital in the capital on Sunday.

He was 79.

He passed away around 1:30pm while undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka.

In a condolence message, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) chairman air vice martial Mofidur Rahman expressed deep shock and sorrow at his death and prayed for salvation of his departed soul.

Saiful Azam served as chairman of CAAB from 1982 to 1984 and later from 1987 to 1988.

He was known to be the only pilot who had flown for three air forces -- Jordan, Iraq, and Pakistan -- at war.

The United States Air Force honoured him as one of the 22 ‘Living Eagles’ of the world.