# Abdul Hadi (1918 – 2004) > Police inspector · Bawli Bazaar, Maungdaw, Arakan - Also known as: U Hadi; Police Inspector U Hadi - Known for: Police inspector - Born: 1918, Bawli Bazaar (Kyein Chaung), Maungdaw Township, Arakan - Died: 19 May 2004, Buthidaung, Arakan - Place: Bawli Bazaar, Maungdaw, Arakan - Fields: Public service, Law enforcement - Page: https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdul-hadi/ ## Summary A police officer born in Bawli Bazaar (Kyein Chaung), Maungdaw Township, respected — and feared — by Rohingya and Rakhine communities alike, and known for enforcing the law regardless of ethnicity or religion. For some thirty years he served at police stations across Arakan, from Mrauk-U and Sittwe to Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun, confronting bandits and communist insurgents, often at the risk of his own life. ## What he did - **1918** — Born in Bawli Bazaar (Kyein Chaung), Maungdaw Township, after his father, the Mrauk-U landowner U Zaw Baw Muluk, was killed by bandits. He grew up in the family's ancestral hometown of Myo Haung (Mrauk-U). (Learning how his father had died, he resolved to fight lawbreakers.) - **After independence** — After Burma gained independence he joined the People's Police Force, qualified as a Criminal Police Officer with CID training at Insein, and became known as U Hadi, Sub-Inspector of Myo Haung Police Station. - **1955** — Transferred to Sittwe No. 1 Police Station, the Clock Tower station, where he married Daw Aye Sein, also known as Aziza Begum. - **Maungdaw · Buthidaung** — Led efforts to keep peace and stability in Maungdaw, then served about seven years in Buthidaung, where his son U Shwe Maung, later a Member of Parliament, was born. - **Kyauktaw** — Posted to Kyauktaw, then a "black area", he fought the communist insurgents who repeatedly attacked the station, and led the security for General Saw Phyu at the opening of Saw Phyu Village. - **Ponnagyun** — Transferred to Ponnagyun in 1976, he captured the feared bandit leader Phoe Nyunt Sein. When the bandit escaped with a guard's rifle, U Hadi promised to resign unless he caught him again within seven days — and did, after surviving the bandit's attempt to shoot him at the U Raz Taung Pagoda festival. - **Ponnagyun** — With officers of the National Intelligence Bureau he arrested a township party chairman and recovered weapons hidden beneath his house, and brought many notorious criminals and insurgents of the period under the law. - **1978** — Retired from the police and settled at House No. 69, Mayu Road, Buthidaung. - **2004** — Died at his home in Buthidaung on 19 May, aged 86. ## His words > “If I cannot recapture the bandit leader Phoe Nyunt Sein within seven days, I will resign from my position.” ## Biography: The inspector feared and respected by all communities Police Inspector U Hadi was a prominent Rohingya figure who was loved, respected, and highly regarded by both Rohingya and Rakhine communities. He was also the father of U Shwe Maung, a Member of Parliament, and U Khin Maung, a high school teacher. Throughout his life, he devoted himself to serving his country and his people, even at the risk of his own life. U Hadi was born in 1918 in Bawli Bazaar (Kyein Chaung), Maungdaw Township. His full name was Abdul Hadi. He was the son of U Zaw Baw Muluk, a wealthy landowner from Mrauk-U (formerly known as Myo Haung) and a former trustee of the Sandi Khan Mosque. His father, U Zaw Baw Muluk, was a native of Myo Haung. During the First World War, he was attacked by a group of extremist Rakhine bandits and died from seven sword wounds. Following his death, U Hadi’s mother, together with other family members, temporarily relocated to Bawli Bazaar in Maungdaw. It was there that U Hadi was born. When conditions in the region improved, Abdul Hadi returned with his mother and grandmother to Myo Haung, his family’s ancestral hometown, where they settled again. Abdul Hadi received his education and grew up in Myo Haung Township. After learning from his grandmother that his father had been killed by Rakhine criminals, he developed a strong determination to combat criminals, lawbreakers, and those engaged in unlawful activities. After Burma gained independence, he joined the People’s Police Force and later became a Criminal Police Officer (CPO), having obtained his CID qualification from Insein. He began his police service at Mrauk-U Police Station and became widely known as U Hadi, the Deputy Security Officer (Sub-Inspector) of Myo Haung Police Station. He was respected and feared by people of all communities, including Rakhine and Rohingya. In 1955, he was transferred from Mrauk-U Police Station to Sittwe No. 1 Police Station, also known as the Clock Tower Police Station. While serving in Sittwe, he met and married Daw Aye Sein, also known as Aziza Begum, the granddaughter of U Hassan Thiri, a wealthy landowner from Khwa Sone in Mrauk-U. He was subsequently transferred from Sittwe No. 1 Police Station to Maungdaw Myoma Police Station. While serving there, he played a leading role in efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region. He was later transferred to Buthidaung Myoma Police Station. While the family was living in the police quarters in Buthidaung, his son U Shwe Maung, who would later become a Member of Parliament, was born. After serving in Buthidaung for approximately seven years, U Hadi was transferred once again, this time to Kyauktaw Police Station. At that time, Kyauktaw was designated a “black area,” and communist insurgents were actively operating in the region. U Hadi fought resolutely against the communist insurgents. As they frequently attacked the police station, he also had to take on security duties with considerable courage and determination. When General Saw Phyu came to Kyauktaw for the opening ceremony of Saw Phyu Village, U Hadi took the lead in providing security for the General during the event. In 1976, U Hadi was transferred from Kyauktaw to Ponnagyun Police Station. There were many incidents that demonstrated his courage as a police officer. One such incident occurred one night when a cooperative warehouse near Ponnagyun Market was broken into by a group of bandits led by a notorious bandit leader named Phoe Nyunt Sein. Even police officers were said to fear Phoe Nyunt Sein. He was a tall, heavily built, dark-complexioned man. Police Inspector U Hadi managed to capture him and detained him at the police station. About two days later, however, Phoe Nyunt Sein seized a rifle from a police officer who was on guard duty and escaped. The escape caused U Hadi considerable concern, and the matter became so serious that he faced the possibility of losing his position. U Hadi made a promise to the township police chief: “If I cannot recapture the bandit leader Phoe Nyunt Sein within seven days, I will resign from my position.” Police Inspector U Hadi then set out with three police officers to recapture Phoe Nyunt Sein. The following day, Pho Nyunt Sein learned that U Hadi was attending the festival at U Raz Taung Pagoda. He followed U Hadi to the festival and attempted to shoot him from behind. Fortunately, the firearm failed to discharge, and U Hadi narrowly escaped death. U Hadi immediately turned around and fired three shots from his revolver at Phoe Nyunt Sein, after which he succeeded in apprehending him. In Ponnagyun, U Hadi also courageously served on the front lines in operations against criminals and communist insurgents. While tracking and pursuing communist insurgents, information was received that weapons had been concealed beneath the house of the township party chairman. Acting on this intelligence, a joint team comprising police officers led by U Hadi and personnel from the NIB (National Intelligence Bureau) arrested the party chairman and successfully recovered the hidden weapons. This operation earned U Hadi considerable recognition and a strong reputation. U Hadi also succeeded in bringing many of the notorious criminals and armed insurgents of that period under the authority of the law, effectively putting an end to their criminal and insurgent activities. For U Hadi, nothing was more important than upholding the rule of law. He was a courageous officer who stood at the forefront of enforcing the law against those who violated it, regardless of their ethnicity or religion, even when doing so meant risking his own life. Police Inspector U Hadi retired from service in 1978 and moved to House No. 69, Mayu Road, Ward No. 2, Buthidaung. Having devoted his life with courage and dedication to serving his country and his people, U Hadi passed away at the age of 86 on May 19, 2004, at his home in Buthidaung, returning to Allah in accordance with His divine will. ## Sources - U Shwe Maung, Facebook page. ## Photographs - ![Police Inspector U Hadi (1918–2004): the caption printed in Burmese on the image, beside the badge of the Myanmar Police Force](https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/abdul-hadi.webp) Police Inspector U Hadi (1918–2004): the caption printed in Burmese on the image, beside the badge of the Myanmar Police Force (Marked “RohangKing” on the image) - ![Photograph of Abdul Hadi](https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/abdul-hadi-2.webp) --- From Rohingya Famous People, https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdul-hadi/ (updated 2026-11-03)