1975 military uprising in Bangladesh
The 7 November 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état, also known as the Sipahi–Janata Revolution (), was launched by left-wing soldiers ("Sipahi") of Biplobi Shainik Sangstha (BSS) under the leadership of Col. (retd.) Abu Taher.
The coup was primarily the result of the previous 3 November 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état, organised by Brig. Khaled Mosharraf against those involved in the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which BSS perceived to be counter-revolutionary. On 7 November, BSS affiliated soldiers, along with the support from the general masses, revolted against Khaled and other officers of Bangladesh Army and snatched the power. The coup resulted in the death of Brig. Gen. Khaled Mosharraf and many other officers. During the coup, Ziaur Rahman was freed from house arrest, enabling him to seize power and become the president.
The coup ended the violent political chaos and power struggle that started after the assassination of Sheikh Mujib. The National Revolution and Solidarity Day is observed annually in Bangladesh on 7 November commemorating the event.
Background.
After the 1971 Independence War, Awami League leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the first president of Bangladesh, whose reign become increasingly unpopular among the people of the country. This led to the rise of a left-wing insurgency by the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD), whose aim was to create a socialist state through armed revolution. His three-year long regime failed to deter the insurgency due to "his misplaced confidence on people's power". He was assassinated in the 15 August 1975 military coup and was replaced by Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad as the president. Khondaker Mostaq replaced the Bangladesh Army chief, Maj. Gen. K M Shafiullah, with Maj. Gen. Ziaur Rahman, the deputy Army chief.
Mostaq formed his own ministry, comprising the members from the Awami League and the military. But the army officers involved in Sheikh Mujib's assassination broke the army's chain of command, as these young officers "began acting like generals" in the new Mostaq government. Brig. Khaled Mosharraf, the chief of general staff, had asked Zia to restore the chain of command in the army and Zia proved unwilling or unable to do so. As a result, Brig. Khaled and other officers including Col. Shafaat Jamil and Lt. Col. A. T. M. Haider staged 3 November 1975 coup, subsequently removing Khondaker Mostaq from power and detaining Zia at house. The coup was perceived to be Mujibist by the JaSaD and considered this a return of the previous regime.
Khondaker Mostaq requested that those involved in Sheikh Mujib's assassination should be allowed to safely leave Bangladesh, which Khaled agreed to. Before the assassins left, they killed four national leaders of Bangladesh, who were imprisoned in Dhaka Central Jail: Syed Nazrul Islam, Muhammad Mansur Ali, Abul Hasnat Muhammad Qamaruzzaman and Tajuddin Ahmed, the event which's known as the Jail Killing. Mostaq was replaced by Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem, the first Chief Justice of Bangladesh.
Prelude.
The uprising was planned and conducted by the Biplobi Shainik Sangstha (BSS), a "vaguely socialist and egalitarian" organisation, formed by the JaSaD. On each night between 4 November and 6 November, BSS held regular secret meetings under it's leader Col. (retd.) Abu Taher. Taher was a retired army officer and freedom fighter who joined the JaSaD and led its armed branches. On 5 November, the BSS distributed thousands of leaflets among soldiers and urban workers accusing Mosharraf of being in leagues with India in taking over the country, and preparing a general uprising. Furthermore, the BSS issued a list of 12 demands, which included the establishment of a classless armed forces, to facilitate the creation of a classless society. On the evening of 6 November, a meeting was held to finalise the plans for the uprising. According to the plans of the meeting, there would be two stages in the revolt, firstly to free Ziaur Rahman from detention and secondly, to implement the 12 demands of the BSS.
Uprising.
The uprising began soon after midnight on 7 November in Dhaka Cantonment, when Subedar Mehboob fired a single rifle shot, signalling the start of the uprising, which soon spread to other areas, including Rangpur and Chittagong. Crowds poured into the streets of Dhaka to support the soldiers and shouted slogans, such as ("Soldiers are brothers, want the blood of the officers!"). The mood in the city was described as "exuberant" by Lawrence Lifschultz. Civilians and soldiers piled onto the tanks of the 1st Bengal Lancers Regiment, which came out into the streets in support of the revolt. Many people came out of the houses and celebrated the uprising with the soldiers.
On the other side, Ziaur Rahman was freed from house arrest by soldiers and taken to the headquarters of the 2nd Field Artillery regiment, where he met Taher. Witnesses claim that Zia embraced Taher and thanked him for saving his life.
Aftermath.
Deaths of Mosharraf, Haider, and Huda.
Khaled Mosharraf and his associates were at Bangabhaban when the uprising began. Upon realising that their 3 November coup had been undone, Mosharraf, A.T.M. Haider and Khondkar Nazmul Huda left Bangabhaban to seek safety at the headquarters of the 10 Bengal Regiment. Although the soldiers of the 10 Bengal had no direct link to the Biplobi Shainik Sangstha, they learned of the mutiny. The commanding officer of the 10 Bengal Regiment, Col. Nawazesh Uddin, held a meeting with his fellow officers to decide whether Mosharraf and his companions should be allowed to come to the headquarters of the 10 Bengal Regiment. Two officers present at the meeting, Cap. Asad and Cap. M. A. Jalil, reportedly said "Let the bastards come in, we'll sort them out!" Col. Nawazesh received a phone call from Lt. Gen. Zia, who told Nawazesh to ensure the safety of Mosharraf and his companions.
When Mosharraf, Haider and Huda arrived at the 10 Bengal Regiment headquarters, Col. Nawazesh ordered the soldiers not to harm the three officers. However, after the uprising, the soldiers were defiant and refused to listen to Col. Nawazesh's orders. Fearing for his own life, Col. Nawazesh did nothing to stop the soldiers from killing Mosharraf. An eyewitness claimed that Cap. Asad and Cap. Jalil ordered their soldiers to kill the three officers. Mosharraf and Huda were dragged out of an office and killed by automatic gunfire, while Haider was killed by a single shot, after Haider tried to reach for his pistol.
Killings of other officers.
In "", Anthony Mascarenhas wrote that the killings of other army officers began on 8 November. Because many officers did not agree with the 12 demands of the BSS, which resulted in serious confrontations between officers and their troops. In Dhaka and Rangpur, 40 officers, mostly freedom fighters, were killed by their troops and enlisted men were reported to have ripped badges off officer's lapels. 65% of all officers in Bangladesh lost control of their troops as a result of the uprising.
Restoring order.
After Ziaur Rahman granted pay rise to the enlisted men, many of the soldiers lost interest in the uprising. On 24 November, Col. Abu Taher, the mastermind of the uprising, was arrested for high treason and murder and was put on trial, along with 33 other members of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal. On 17 July 1976, Taher was sentenced to death and was executed on 21 July 1976. In his final letter, Taher described Ziaur Rahman as a "traitor" and claimed that he was freed from detention under Taher's orders.
Zia's ascension to the power.
The events of 7 November paved the path to the presidency for Ziaur Rahman. On this day following Mosharraf's death, President Sayem assumed the role of Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA) and Maj. Gen. Zia was made Deputy CMLA. A year later, President Sayem handed over CMLA duties to Zia and months after that stepped down on "health reason", and Zia became acting president in the absence of a vice president.
Legacy.
In reminiscence to the uprising, 7 November is observed as the National Revolution and Solidarity Day in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which was founded by Ziaur Rahman after he became president, commemorates the day and regards the military coup a "civil military uprising". While Taher's party, the JaSaD, observes it as "Sipahi–Janata Revolution Day".
On the other hand, the Awami League calls it Freedom Fighters Killing Day and views it negatively. The celebrations of the day were suppressed under the regime of Sheikh Hasina.
Journalist Afsan Chowdhury described the uprising as the "closest that any Marxist force of whatever description in Bangladesh reached the doors of state power".
References.
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