Bangladesh to court-martial ex-major in Ziaur Rahman assassination case

Bangladesh has handed retired Major Mozaffar Hossain to the Army for trial over Ziaur Rahman's 1981 assassination. The move revives one of the last unresolved proceedings in the coup-era killing case.Stock photo used for illustrationBangladesh on Monday said retired Major Mozaffar Hossain, accused in the assassination of former president Ziaur Rahman 45 years ago, will be tried under military law through a general court-martial. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said Hossain had been arrested and handed over to the Bangladesh Army for trial.Hossain was arrested last week from Banani's Defence Officers Housing Scheme in Dhaka and was later handed over to military authorities for further legal action. Ahmed said the case would proceed under military law as there was no provision to try a person separately under civil and military laws for the same offence."Major (retd) Mozaffar Hossain has been arrested and handed over to the Bangladesh Army for trial under military law," Ahmed told reporters. He said, "The major's other associates were tried by a military court at the time, and certain observations were recorded in those proceedings. He had remained a fugitive for many years in a neighbouring country under a different identity," without naming the country.Ziaur Rahman, a military ruler-turned politician and the father of Tarique Rahman, was killed in the southeastern port city of Chattogram on May 30, 1981. According to official records, military and police investigations at the time identified Hossain as an active or direct participant in the coup against Rahman. Ahmed said a general court-martial, which can award capital punishment, would try Hossain because "there is no legal provision to try an individual separately under both civil and military laws for the same offence" and added, "Therefore, the trial in this case will be completed under military law." In the original proceedings in the assassination case, 13 military officers were hanged and five others were given different prison terms after trial by a general court-martial.With Hossain now in military custody, Bangladesh has moved to complete proceedings against one of the remaining accused in the 1981 assassination case, with the trial set to be held under military law. With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Jul 20, 2026 21:02 IST