Ziaur Rahman Bio Wife Wiki & Family

Full name: Ziaur Rahman
Birthdate: January 19, 1936
Birthplace: Bogra, Bangladesh
Died: May 30, 1981
Death Place: Chittagong, Bangladesh
Education: Pakistan Military Academy
Occupation: Politician
Years active: 1977-1981
Spouse (s): Khaleda Zia
Religion: Islam
Zodiac sign: Capricorn

Ziaur Rahman was a politician of Bangladesh and an army officer. He declared the independence of Bangladesh on behalf of the interim head of state Sheik Mujibur Rahman. Ziaur played an important role during the liberation war of Bangladesh as he was a captain of a Brigade Force. Later, he served as the president of Bangladesh from April 1977, until his death.

Ziaur Rahman Early Life:

Ziaur Rahman was born on January 19, 1936, in Bogra, Bangladesh. His father Mansur Rahman was a chemist and Jahanara Khatun was a housewife. He was the second son of his parents. Zia’s father was a specialist in paper and ink and worked for a government department in Kolkata. In his early life, he was very shy and quietly spoken. His nickname is Komal.

Ziaur Rahman studied at Bogra Zila School. Mansur Rahman enrolled his son at Hare School, Calcutta where he studied until the creation of India and Pakistan in 1947. Following the partition, Mansur Rahman envisioned the option to become a citizen of a Muslim-majority Pakistan.

He moved to Karachi, Pakistan in pursue to be a citizen of the country. In 1952, Ziaur Rahman completed secondary education at Academy School.  Following the year, he enrolled at the D.j. College and later Pakistan Military Academy and cadet officer.

Ziaur Rahman Career:

Ziaur Rahman kicked off his career journey as an officer in the Pakistan Army in 1953. After two years of job, he transferred to East Bengal Regiment. In the India-Pakistan war, Zia played an important role as a commander. In 1969, he was promoted to Major and went to Germany for Military and Command Course training. For a few months, Zia worked with the British army. He came to the country as a major and joined the Eight East Bengal Regiment in Chittagong.

Liberation War:

Following Operation Search Light and the arrest of Sheik Mujibur Rahman on March 25, 1971, Ziaur Rahman rebelled and breaks up all relations with the Pakistan armies. On March 27, 1971, Zia read the declaration of independence of Bangladesh from Kalurghat, Chittagong, which read.

I, Major Ziaur Rahman, do hereby declare the Independence of Bangladesh on behalf of our great leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

He was appointed the commander of the first conventional brigade ‘Z Force’ of Bangladesh after the first initial of his name. Ziaur Rahman was awarded the second highest recognition of bravery ‘Bir Uttom’ for his contribution in the liberation war by the Bangladesh Government.

Political Career:

After the assassination of Sheik Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975, Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad gained the presidency. Mostaq Ahmad appointed Ziaur Rahman as Army Chief following the removal of General K M Sahafiullah. It is reported, Zia knew about the military coup before it happened. The coup and murder of Sheik Mujibur Rahman caused a period of instability in Bangladesh as well as among the army officers.

Eventually, Brigadier Khaled Mosharraf under Colonel Shafat Jamil placed a counter-coup on November 3, 1975, and immediately Ziarur placed under house arrest. Abu Taher staged another military coup again and Ziaur Rahman freed from arrest as well as Khaled Mosharraf was killed and Colonel Jamil was arrested. Ziaur Rahman became the chief martial law administrator on November 19, 1976, following justice Sayem’s elevation to the presidency.

He illegally established Gonobahini in the Bangladesh army. Abu Taher was sentenced to death by a military tribunal on charges of traitor. But the Bangladesh Supreme Court declared the trial illegal and unconstitutional on May 20, 2013.

Ziaur established women’s police, and village defense force, and inaugurate Canal excavation. On 21 April 1977, he became the 7^th president of Bangladesh and wished to launch multi parties democracy. He won the 1078 presidential election competing with the other ten leaders.

Assassination:

Ziaur Rahman enjoyed overall popularity across the country during his term of power, although he was criticized for cruel treatment of his army opposition. On May 29m 1981, he went on tour to Chittagong amidst fears of unrest to resolve the political dispute in the regional BNP. He and his associates stayed overnight at the Circuit House of Chittagong. On May 30, 1981, early hours of the morning, he was assassinated by a group of army officers under the leadership of General Abdul Monjur.

Nearly two million people are rough to have attended the funeral of Ziaur Rahman held at Parliament Square.

Personal Life:

Ziaur Rahman married Begum Khaleda Zia in1960, a girl from Dinajpur. Later she became the prime minister of Bangladesh three times. The couple has two sons Tareq Rahman and Arafat Rahman. His son Tareq Rahman is the senior vice chairman of BNP. Another son Arafat Rahman died of a cardiac arrest in Malaysia on January 24, 2015.