President of Bangladesh
After Bangladesh's independence, Ahmad became a member of the cabinet of Sheikh Mujib. First he was appointed Foreign Minister and he discharged this responsibility since Mujibnagar Government formed. Later Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has given him the charge of the ministries of power, irrigation and flood control. In 1975, he was made the minister for commerce. However, Ahmad is believed to have grown alienated from Mujib and having maintained contacts with anti-Mujib and Islamic political groups. A conservative leader, Ahmad opposed Mujib's socialism, secularism and pro-India policies. Despite this, Ahmad remained in Mujib's cabinet and was appointed a member of the BAKSAL executive committee when Mujib banned other political parties, declaring himself president.
Sheikh Mujib and all but two members of his family were assassinated by a group of army officers on 15 August 1975, apparently with the concurrence of Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad. Khondaker immediately took control of the government, proclaiming himself president. Several of the army officers were promoted two or three ranks ahead, e.g. Major Syed Faruque Rahman was promoted as Colonel. Major General Ziaur Rahman, husband of Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, was appointed as Chief of Staff of Bangladesh Army. Khondaker also ordered the imprisonment of pro-Mujib leaders Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman and Muhammad Mansur Ali. He replaced the national slogan of Joy Bangla with the Bangladesh Zindabad slogan and changed the name Bangladesh Betar to 'Radio Bangladesh'. More controversially, he proclaimed the Indemnity Ordinance, which granted immunity from prosecution to the assassins of Mujib. Mujib's daughters Sheikh Hasina Wazed and Sheikh Rehana were barred from returning to Bangladesh from abroad. BAKSAL and pro-Mujib political groups were dissolved.
On 3 November, the four imprisoned pro-Mujib leaders were assassinated while imprisoned at the Dhaka Central Jail. However, Ahmad was ousted from power on 6 November in a coup led by Khaled Mosharraf and Shafat Jamil.
Read more about this topic: Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad
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