Source: Washington Post, VOA & Business week
DHAKA, Bangladesh — The Bangladesh military said Thursday it foiled a plot by a group of hardline officers, their retired colleagues and Bangladeshi conspirators living abroad to overthrow Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The coup attempt underscored tension between Hasina’s government and elements of the military that has lingered since a 2009 mutiny.
The plot was instigated by Bangladeshi conspirators living abroad, he added.
Two retired officers — Lt. Col. Ehsan Yusuf and Maj. Zakir — have been arrested, Razzaq said, but he did not say when. Authorities are also looking for another fugitive serving officer, Maj. Ziaul Haq, he said.
Bangladesh Foils Attempt to Overthrow Government
Military officials in Bangladesh say they have uncovered a plot by religious extremists to overthrow the government.
Brigadier General Muhammad Masud Razzaq shared details of the attempted coup with reporters Thursday, calling it a “heinous conspiracy” to topple Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Razzaq said the coup had been planned abroad and that two retired military officers have already been arrested. A third man, Army Major Ziaul Haq, is on the run.
Razzaq said a total of 16 current and former military officers had been involved.
Bangladeshi intelligence officials say the military uncovered the coup plot last month and that the plotters planned to introduce strict Islamic Sharia law.
Business Week Report by Arun Devnath and James Rupert
(Updates with comment from analyst from third paragraph.)
Jan. 19 (Bloomberg) — Bangladesh’s army has foiled an attempt by former and serving officers to oust Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed’s government, a military spokesman said.
“Instigated by some non-resident Bangladeshis, some serving and retired officers with extreme religious views have tried to create disorder in the army,” Brigadier General Muhammad Masud Razzaq said in a statement. The conspiracy was a bid “to topple the system of democratic governance through the army,” Razzaq said.
Bangladesh has seen three major army coups and two dozen smaller rebellions since its independence from Pakistan in 1971. “Because of this history, we remain vulnerable to these coup attempts,” said Ataur Rahman, a political science professor at Dhaka University.
Still, “a coup with an Islamic militant orientation would be a surprise,” Rahman said in a telephone interview from the capital. While researching the officer corps, Rahman said he had “not found that Islamic militant views or socialization are widespread.”
Hasina was elected in December 2008, ending two years of military-backed emergency rule, on a program of combating terrorism, cutting food prices and raising living standards. Her government aims to boost growth to 8 percent in two years from 6.7 percent in the year ended June 30. More than half of the country’s 166 million people live on less than $1.25 a day, according to the Asian Development Bank.
Religious extremists are getting desperate in Bangladesh to foil the War crime tribunal currently in process. At this critical moment in history, Bangladesh needs support from the whole world to uproot extremism from the fabric of Bangladesh society.
Categories: Bangladesh, Islam, Sharia Law, Terrorism
It’s plan of Allah(swt) which always succeeds than those who create trouble in the land. Alhamdulillah, believers prayer is acceptable to Allah(swt) not fitna of those who create disorder in the land. May Allah(swt) help maintain normalcy there and strengthen those who believe and practice tolerance, secularism. Aameen!
Those persons tried unsuccessful coup they are may be from Khaleda and Jamati group. Thanks God that HE save a lot of bloodsheds.
There is no compulsion in religion, see verse 256 of Sura Al-Baqara. Those Kaat Mollahs did not read this verse of Holy Quran. Country belong to every one irrespective casts, creed and religions and the religion is belong to individual.
Dear Khaleda please wait for 5 years, because people elected them, election cost millions of taka of tax payers money.
Khaleda has been Trying to get power quickly to steal more tax payers money through her culprits sons KOKO and TARIQ and to save the two culprits sons and war criminals, who are enjoying in foreign countries with the tax payers looted money. It is true facts that Major Zia was a leader to kill Bongobondoo, jail killings and killing of thousands officers, soldiers, and airmen of armed forces to confirm his presidential dictatorship..
To all hon’able MPs: KHALEDA, TARIQ AND JAMATI ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS KILLINGS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE of 21 August, present PM narrowly escaped the death.
Khaleda & her two sons are number one thieves and corrupted. Khaleda has 5 different dates of birth. (2) Looted Orphans’ million dollars money. (3) Looted tax payers’ money of million dollars through culprits’ sons Tariq and Koko and deposited to foreign Banks. (4) Made Bangladesh a number one Muslim Terrorist country of the world in her ruling time. Non Muslims scare and fear Islam (5) Blasted hundreds bombs all over the Bangladesh at a times. (6) Made Haowa bhavon parallel governments. (7) Was friends of Bangla Bhai and terrorist Muslims Jamat etc? (8) Transferred Millions dollars tax payers money, (around hundreds boxes) to Saudi Arabia. She is not safe for Bangladesh. O people of Bangladesh think twice.
Khaleda made her husband Major Zia as a fake father of the Nation and made laughingstock. Because she do not thinks for the future and does not believe in Bangladesh as like Jamati Islami. Another few gentlemen also declared independent on behalf of Bongobonndoo, but Khaleda made Major Zia fake father of the nations, now people have been loughing.
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