Military coups in Bangladesh
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Bangladesh has faced several military coups since its independence from Pakistan in 1971.
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[edit] 1975 coups
[edit] 15 August
The coup of 15 August 1975 was organized by officers of Bangladesh Army. They were led by Major Syed Faruqe Rahman and Major Rashid. The coup resulted in the assassination of the country's president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his entire family (daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana escaped as they were in Germany) and several ministers and leaders of Awami League.
[edit] 3 November
The government set up by Major Faruque, Major Rashid and Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad was overthrown in another coup on 3 November 1975. This was organized by General Khaled Mosharraf, Bir Uttom, a decorated freedom fighter. Mosharraf was seen by many as a supporter of the pre-August government. He put the army chief and fellow freedom fighter General Ziaur Rahman under house arrest but did not execute him. Some also claim that the personal friendship between the two generals prevented General Musharraf from carrying out Rahman's execution.
[edit] 7 November
General Mosharraf's 3 day coup ended due to revolt by soldiers of Bangladesh Army. They freed General Ziaur Rahman from house arrest and killed the coup leader Gen Khaled Mosharraf and his associates. Rumors about Musharraf's affiliation with India (a FEER cover at the time carried the headline "The Indian Coup?") aggravated army suspicion of this coup. Former Army Chief General Shafiullah alleged that many JSD (Jatiyothabadi Shomajthantrhik Dol: National Socialist Party) elements infiltrated the army in early 1975. On 6-7 November 1975 some of the JSD elements distributed leaflets and agitated soldiers against the officer class of the army. JSD tried to control the counter-coup organized by former army Colonel, and freedom war veteran, Abu Taher. Colonel Taher rescued Ziaur Rahman from captivity but was later executed in a secret trial led by Ziaur Rahman. The special tribunal was described as a "kangaroo trial" by journalist Lawrence Lifschultz and led to his expulsion from the country by the military junta of General Zia. Lifschultz later documented the tumultuous coup and counter-coup of this period in "Bangladesh: The Unfinished Revolution."
[edit] Coups between 1977-1980
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General Ziaur Rahman survived as many as 21 coups during his five years until succumbing to the 22nd one. Most of those coups were led by the 1971 freedom-fighter officers who were irked by Zia's liaison with anti liberation pro Islamic quarters. He strongly carried on oppression of rebel officers, and by the time he was assassinated in 1981 most freedom-fighters in Bangladesh army were executed or sacked.
[edit] 1981 coup
During his term of power, Zia was criticised for ruthless treatment of his political opposition.[1] Although he enjoyed overall popularity and public confidence, Zia's rehabilitation of some of the most controversial men in Bangladesh aroused fierce opposition from the supporters of the Awami League and veterans of the Mukti Bahini. Amidst speculation and fears of unrest, Zia went on tour to Chittagong on May 29, 1981 to help resolve an intra-party political dispute in the regional BNP. Zia and his entourage stayed overnight at the Chittagong Circuit House, a rest house. In the early hours of the morning of May 30, he was assassinated by a group of army officers along with six bodyguards and two aides.[2]
Zia's killing came as a central part of a botched military coup attempt led by Major General Abul Manzoor, who announced the killing and his take-over of the government on radio.[2] Monjur had earlier been a senior army commander and had been transferred to Chittagong in 1977. He was scheduled for a new transfer to a non-command position in Dhaka and was reportedly disappointed over his impending demotion.[1]
After the assassination of Ziaur Rahman on 30 May 1981, the then Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad remained loyal[3] to the government and ordered the army to suppress the coup attempt of Zia's associates led by Major General Abul Monjur. Monjur was caught and killed while attempting to flee ti India.
Zia was buried at the Chandrima Uddan in the locality of Sher-e-Banglanagar in Dhaka.[4] Large processions of supporters and BNP activists attended the funeral. Vice President Abdus Sattar immediately succeeded him as the acting president.
[edit] 1982 coup
After the assassination of Ziaur Rahman on 30 May 1981, Ershad remained loyal[5] to the government and ordered the army to suppress the coup attempt of Zia's associates led by Major General Abul Manzoor. It is widely speculated that Monjur was used as a scapegoat and Ershad himself was behind the liquidation of President Zia; although never proven in any court of law, even when Zia's widow was in power in 1991-196 and again in 2001-2006. Ershad maintained loyalty to the new president Abdus Sattar, who led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party )BNP) to victory in elections in 1982. Ershad even alloted a two houses to Mrs. Khaleda Zia & her two sons, one of [6] in Dhaka Cantonment where Ziaur Rahman's family still resides, and became a centre point of controversy later on.
However the BNP government was not doing well and pressure increased from high-ranking army commanders for the military to take over the reins of state. Ershad came to power in a bloodless coup on 24 March, 1982 and proclaimed himself Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA), President Sattar replaced.[7] He took over as president on 11 December, 1983 by replacing A. F. M. Ahsanuddin Chowdhury.[8]
To improve rural administration, Ershad introduced the Upazila and Zila Parishad system and held the 'first democratic elections for these village councils' in 1985. In an election held in 1986, Ershad was nominated by the Jatiya party, which had been created by him and his supporters. One of the major political parties BNP founded by his predecessor CMLA & later elected President Major General Ziaur Rahman led by his widow Khaleda Zia boycotted the elections; however the other major party Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina participated[9] in Bangladeshi general election, 1986. The Jatiya Party led by HM Ershad won the elctions winning majority in the Jatiyo Sangshad. In 1987 Bangladesh’s Land Ministry launched the 'Land Reforms Action Program', an initiative to distribute khas – unoccupied state-owned land – to landless families. A novel element of the land reform was the establishment by the Ministry of Land.[10].
Ershad's regime finally fell in December 1990; however he still managed some support as he was elected Member of Parliament three times and his Jatiya Party is the second biggest party in Bangladesh's coalition government as elected in Bangladeshi general election, 2008.
[edit] Later coup attempts
In 1996, Bangladesh army chief Lt. General Abu Saleh Mohammad Nasim Bir Bikram, a decorated freedom fighter who was appointed army chief by the previous Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, refused to execute the President's order to sack some of Nasim's favourite army commanders. In the days following the sacking there was considerable military build up in and around Dhaka as troops loyal to the President led by senior commanders like Major General Matin, Major General Imamuzzaman (all renowned freedom fighters) prepared to defend the capital Dhaka from those loyal to the General who were advancing towards Dhaka from districts. However, the situation was politically defused at the initiative of the Caretaker Government led by Justice Habibur Rahman. General Nasim was arrested and General Mahbubur Rahman, a non-freedom fighter army commander, was appointed the new army chief. General Nasim's associates General Ibrahim and few others were sacked and tried in a military court. Later in the year after the election, the new center-left government led by the Awami League overturned Nasim's dismissal and offered him a regular retirement instead, sent General Rahman on mandatory retirement, and appointed General Mustafizur Rahman, a freedom fighter who was at 7 days to end his leave prior retirement (LPR), as the new army chief. General Mustafiz is related (Uncle) to Awami League President Shiekh Hasina.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Country Studies, Bangladesh (2006-09-12). "Zia's rule" (HTML). http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/21.htm. Retrieved on 2006-09-12.
- ^ a b "Zia's assassination" (PHP). 2006-09-10. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,922557,00.html. Retrieved on 2006-09-10.
- ^ "BBC ON THIS DAY | 30 | 1981: Bangladeshi president assassinated". BBC News. 1981-05-30. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/30/newsid_4401000/4401129.stm. Retrieved on 2009-01-15.
- ^ "General Zia" (PHP). 2006-08-02. http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/R_0028.htm. Retrieved on 2006-08-02.
- ^ {{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/30/newsid_4401000/4401129.stm |title=BBC ON THIS DAY | 30 | 1981: Bangladeshi president assassinated |publisher=BBC News |date=1981-05-30 |accessdate=2009-01-15}}
- ^ "Global Integrity Report". Report.globalintegrity.org. http://report.globalintegrity.org/Bangladesh/2007/notebook. Retrieved on 2009-01-15.
- ^ http://www.bangabhaban.gov.bd The Bangabhaban
- ^ "Strategic Issues". Thedailystar.net. http://www.thedailystar.net/strategic/2007/04/01/strategic.htm. Retrieved on 2009-01-15.
- ^ http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/BANGLADESH_1986_E.PDF
- ^ Non Governmental Organisations on trial in Bangladesh
- Mascarenhas, Anthony. Bangladesh: A Legacy of Blood. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1986.
- Lifschultz, Lawrence. Bangladesh: The Unfinished Revolution. London: Zed Books, 1979.
- Ali, Tariq. Pakistan: military rule or people's power?". London: Cape, 1970.
[edit] External links
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