Saiful Azam  Saiful Azam (11 September 1941 – 14 June 2020) was a Bangladeshi pilot and politician who first served as a fighter pilot for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) (1960–1971) and later the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) (1971–1979). During his career as PAF pilot, he shot down one Indian Air Force (IAF) and three Israel Air Force (IAF) aircraft. For his actions, he received various gallantry awards from Pakistan, Jordan and Iraq. He also took part in 12 ground-attack missions against the Indian forces. After the independence of Bangladesh, Azam left the PAF and joined the newly-formed Bangladesh Air Force. In 1980, he retired as a Group Captain from Bangladesh Air Force. Azam died on 14 June 2020 at 13:00 hours at the Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka. Azam was born in Khagarbaria village, Pabna District, East Bengal, British India (later East Pakistan and now Bangladesh) in 1941. After completing his secondary schooling in East Pakistan, he moved to West Pakistan and joined the Pakistan Air Force College in Sargodha. After that he joined the Pakistan Air Force Academy, Risalpur in 1958, successfully gaining commission as an officer in the PAF's General Duties Pilot or GD (P) branch in 1960. Saiful Azam was married to Nishat Azam who is a lawyer. After training with the Cessna T-37 aircraft and further education at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, with F-86 Sabres, in 1963, Azam was posted briefly in Dhaka before becoming an instructor with the T-33s at PAF's No. 2 Squadron (Jet Conversion Unit) in Mauripur, Karachi. While still posted as an instructor, Azam flew in the September 1965 war with India as part of PAF's No. 17 Squadron from PAF Base Sargodha, flying F-86s. After returning from a successful ground attack, Azam's group encountered Indian Folland Gnat interceptors; Azam shot down Flying Officer Mayadev of the Indian Air Force. Flying Officer Mayadev ejected and was captured by Pakistani soldiers on the ground. Throughout the 1965 war, Azam took part in 12 ground-attack missions which inflicted very heavy damage to the Indian forces. For his actions, Azam was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat, Pakistan's third highest military award. In 1966, he assumed the command of PAF's No. 2 Squadron.