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From Mujibur Rahman's rise to Sheikh Hasina's fall: A Bangladesh timeline

From Mujibur Rahman's rise to Sheikh Hasina's fall: A Bangladesh timeline

From Mujibur Rahman's rise to Sheikh Hasina's fall: A Bangladesh timeline

The dramatic helicopter flight of ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from Bangladesh on Monday (August 5), amid pressure from protesters and the Army is not a first in the South Asian nation's history.

Since independence, around half a century ago, many of the country's leaders have been forced to flee or had their time in office cut short by violent deaths.

Here’s a lookback at five key points in Bangladesh's unstable history.

1975: Assassinations and coups in large numbers

Formerly known as East Pakistan, Bangladesh came out as a new nation in 1971 after a brutal war involving India.

Independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the country's first prime minister before introducing a one-party system and assuming the presidency in January 1975.

Within a year Rahman was assassinated by a group of soldiers on August 15, along with his wife and three sons.

Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, with the supportof the army, then came to power.

Ahmad's tenure wasshort-lived. He was brought down in a coup instigated by the armychief of staff Khaled Mosharraf on November 3, who was assassinated in turn by rival mutineers.

After a series of further coups and counter-coups, General Ziaur Rahman took power on November 7.

1981-83 : Bloody revolt, bloodless coup

In less than 6 years of being in power, General Ziaur Rahman was assassinated during an attempted revolt on May 30, 1981.

Vice-president Abdus Sattar took over as interim president with the backing of General Hussain Muhammad Ershad.

But Ershad turned outSattar within a year, overthrowing him in a bloodless coup on March 24, 1982.
Instantly after the takeover, he imposed martial law and installed Ahsanuddin Chowdhury as president.

Then, on December 11, 1983, Ershad declared himself head of state. Chowdhury, whose role was honorary, subsequently led a political party loyal to the general.

1990: General Hussain Muhammad Ershad resigns after widespread protests

After widespread protests for democracy in Bangladesh, Ershad had to resign as president on December 6, 1990. Ershad was then arrested on December 12 and jailed after being convicted for corruption.

Justice Minister Shahabuddin Ahmed took over as interim leader until elections could be held the year after.

1991: First free elections

The country witnessed its first free elections in early 1991, with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) running out as clear winners.

Khaleda Zia, General Ziaur Rahman's widow, became Bangladesh's first woman prime minister.

She was succeeded by her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of the country's founding father Mujibur Rahman, after Hasina's Awami League defeated the BNP at the ballot box in 1996.

The BNP returned to power in 2001, with Khaleda Zia once again becoming prime minister and completing her term of office in October 2006.

2007: Anti-corruption purge

In 2007, with the army's support, President Iajuddin Ahmed declared a state of emergency after anti-government protests.

A military-led transitional government then initiated an anti-corruption purge, imprisoning both Hasina and Zia on graft allegations before their release in 2008.

Following her party's victory in the December 2008 elections, Hasina once again became prime minister.

(With inputs from agencies)