RAHMAN, ZIAUR of independence on March 23, 1971, and he was arrested again. This act triggered open warfare and millions of Bengali refugees consequently fled to India. On December 3, 1971, the Indian government under INDIRA GANDHI declared war on Pakistan, and 10 days later the war ended in a complete defeat for Pakistan. The new state of Bangladesh then emerged, and Rahman was released from prison to lead it in January 1972. Rahman quickly prevailed upon his countrymen to adopt a parliamentary system with himself as prime minister. In this capacity he embarked on a socialist style of leadership, nationalizing large segments of the economy. But as Bangladesh was one of the world’s poorest nations, he was dependent upon food from outside sources like the United States. Over the next four years little progress was made to alleviate national misery, and Rahman decided he needed a strong form of government to enact policies. In January 1975 he ignored mounting protests and had parliament adopt constitutional changes that made him president with dictatorial powers. When famine and poverty continued to increase, so too did opposition to the government. Rahman and his family were subsequently killed in a coup staged by disgruntled army officers on August 15, 1975. He had failed to alleviate Bangladesh’s overwhelming social problems, but he is still considered the architect of national independence. In 1996 his daughter, Hasina Wazed, led the Awami party to victory and became the nation’s first female prime minister. Further Reading Ahamed, Emajuddin. “The Coup of 1975 against Sheikh Mujib of Bangladesh.” Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 13, no. 3 (1990): 63–80. Ahmed, Rafiuddin. Religion, Identity & Politics: Essays on Bangladesh. Colorado Springs, Colo.: International Academic Publishers, 2001. Dhan, Z. R. “Leadership Parties and Politics in Bangladesh.” Western Political Quarterly 29 (March 1976): 102–125. Kabir, Bhuian. Politics of Military Rule and the Dilemma of Democratization in Bangladesh. Denver, Colo.: iAcademic Books, 2000. Kabir, Muhammad G. Changing Face of Nationalism: The Case of Bangladesh. Denver, Colo.: iAcademic Books, 2001.
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Ziring, Lawrence. Bangladesh: From Mujib to Ershad: An Interpretive Study. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993.
Rahman, Ziaur (1936–1981) prime minister of Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman was born in Bogra, East Bengal, India, on January 19, 1936, the son of an Indian Muslim chemist. In 1947 the British partitioned the subcontinent into Hindu India and Muslim East and West Pakistan. Rahman was well educated by local standards and subsequently passed through the Pakistan Military Academy in 1955. He served throughout the presidency of MOHAMMED AYUB KHAN and in 1965 won plaudits commanding units during the First Indo-Pakistani War. Rahman later headed the Pakistan Military Academy and proved instrumental in raising several Bengali formations for the army. However, like many Bengalis, he was distressed by the favoritism shown to West Pakistani officers and the contempt displayed toward East Pakistan in general. On March 24, 1971, Rahman was alerted of a West Pakistani plot to disarm and arrest his fellow Bengali officers so, to preempt them, he seized Chittagong and declared independence for the new nation of Bangladesh. After several months of fighting and military assistance from Indian prime minister INDIRA GANDHI, Bangladesh won its freedom on December 16, 1971. Sheik MUJIBUR RAHMAN was then installed as the first president while Ziaur Rahman became deputy chief of staff of the military with a rank of major general. He functioned in this capacity until his superior was assassinated in August 1975 and Khandakar Mushtaq Ahmed became president. Rahman was then named full chief of staff but he was imprisoned in a countercoup in November 1975. After a few days he was freed and placed in command of a committee that ruled Bangladesh under martial law. Rahman then ran for the presidency in a popular referendum in April 1977, and the following June was formally made chief executive through free elections. In September 1977 Rahman also founded the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) to counter the influence of Mujibur Rahman’s Awami League. However, in November 1977 there was a coup attempt against him, and Rahman turned his back on promised democratic reforms. Upward of 15,000 political prisoners were incarcerated. In 1979 Rahman finally resigned from the