I could not help but notice how harmlessly post No 1 says the following
"Ziaur Rahman, commissioned military officer by career, attained the rank of Lieutenant General before retiring and then assuming the office of the presidency of Bangladesh"
No mention of the fact that the 'manner' in which he' assumed ' the office involved overthrow of a Govt established by constitution . He joined the list of dictators this sub continent has spawned.
Instead of starting afresh the BD army carried on the legacy of PA when he imposed Martial Law in Jan 1975.
He may have done well for the nation as some suggest but the permanent & long term damage to the Military and the young nation.
I find your comments also miss the point. I cite the events in the chronological order for your easy understanding of the events that led to the rise of Zia.
1) Sk. Mujib was killed on 15 August, 1975 by the mid-level officers of BA. Khandokar Mushtaque Ahmed of Awami League took over the reign of govt.
2) General Shafiullah resigned from the post of army chief of staff and General Zia and Brigadier Khaled Musharref were posted as Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff respectively.
3) However, the new President remained surrounded by the mid-level army officers who had killed Sk. Mujib. They were sending ordersto the army in the name of new President
4) It was intolerable for the army because it was a breakdown of chain of command.
5) Khaled Musharraf wanted a quick solution, but Zia wanted a slow movement.
6) Khaled staged a coup on Nov. 4, 1975, arrested Zia and declared himself Chief of staff.
7) There was another uprising in the army that killed Khaled Musharraf and released Zia from house arrest.
8) Kh. Mushtaque resigned on nov. 7, 1975, Zia proclaimed Martial Law and installed Justice Sayem as the President of Bangladesh.
Now, where do you see Zia deposed an elected govt and ushered himself as the President of Bangladesh? It is a total distortion of facts. Rather, it was his fate that the events on those days forced him to take over the reign of govt.