Ziaur Rahman

Life as President

Foreign relations

After assuming office as head of the state, Ziaur Rahman began to strengthen his foreign policy with more attention towards Western countries, moving away from the Soviet bloc as well as India. The U.S. helped the country with wheat under PL 480 law and many other economic aids.

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Zia also later proposed a South Asian organization which includes seven South Asian nations. This organization was created in 1985 as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, more popularly known as SAARC.

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Changes to defence

Zia started to make changes to the country's infrastructures with these aids. He also actively strengthened the police by taking the number of officers from from 40,000 to 70,000 and arranging for re-training. Armed forces' size was also boosted from less than 50,000 in 1974-75 to about 90,000 in 1976-77.

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Promotion of Bangladeshi nationalism

Until Ziaur Rahman's arrival, Bengali nationalism overwhelmingly dominated the political scene. Ziaur Rahman took the step of promoting a Bangladeshi nationalism, especially in the light of the fact that all Bangladeshis were not Bengalis. Roughly 1-2% are non-Bengalis.

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Move away from secularism

As Head of the state, Ziaur Rahman carried out several changes to the Constitution, which are seen as a move from secularism:

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• Insertion of Bismiliah-ir-Rahmanir Rahim (In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful) in the preamble of the Constitution;
• Addition of absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah to Articles 8(1) and 8(1A);
• Redefinition of socialism as economic and social justice in Article 8(1); and
• Provision that the state shall endeavour to consolidate, preserve and strengthen fraternal relations among Muslim countries based on Islamic solidarity in Article 25(2).

He also allowed Jamaat-e-Islami, to start its activities for the first time in independent Bangladesh. Jamaat-e-Islami (JIB), which is frequently associated with the abetters of Pakistani occupying army in 1971 war, was banned along with several other parties soon after independence on grounds of secularism and abolition of all religious parties.

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Golam Azam, the exiled chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami, was allowed to come back in July, 1978 with a Pakistani passport. He was not tried for either war crimes or staying in the country without a visa. 16 years later in 1994, Begum Khaleda Zia's government gave Azam his Bangladeshi citizenship following a court order. Such moves are held against Ziaur Rahman and his party, BNP, by a large majority of the citizenry.

Related Topics:
Golam Azam - 1978 - Begum Khaleda Zia

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A 2005 High Court ruling, though suspended, made most of the actions taken between 1975-1979 unlawful. This ruling came despite threats and intimadation of the judges involved in the ruling. However, the current BNP-led government has contested the ruling.

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Elections

As President, Zia announced a 19-point programme of economic reform and began dismantling the MLA.

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In February 1978, Jatiyatabadi Ganatantric Dal (Nationalist Democratic Party) was created with Vice President Justice Abdus Sattar as its head. Ziaur Rahman himself became the nominee of the Nationalist Front consisting of six political parties in the presidential election and won after securing 76.67% of the votes. These polls in subsequent years were found to be staged and secured with the help of the Military.

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Bangladesh Nationalist Party

On 1 September 1978, Ziaur Rahman launched a party named the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) with himself as the head. In November 1978, remaining restrictions on political party activities were removed in time for parliamentary elections in February 1979.

Related Topics:
1 September - 1978 - Bangladesh Nationalist Party

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Parliamentary elections

Parliamentary elections were held in February 1979 and Zia's party, the BNP, won 207 seats out of 300. The first session of the National Parliament was held on 1 April. On 9 April, martial law was lifted.

Related Topics:
1 April - 9 April

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After having a two-thirds majority in parliament, Zia passed a bill called Indemnity Bill, which stated that no trial will happen and no case can be made for assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Zia also gave Major Dalim, Major Rashid, and Major Faruk, alleged assassins of Sheikh Mujib, jobs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; again, these moves are held against Ziaur Rahman's regime by his critiques.

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