Background

It is true that a tiny group belonging to the evil axis of Razakars, Pakistani collaborators, and the conspirators were happy after the killing of Bangabandhu. They organized to take-over the power under the leadership of the second Mir Jafar named Khondoker Moshtaque of Bangladesh. It was not clear at the outset about the patrons and other cohorts of the killers and the conspirators. We had to wait to see the conclusion. Eventually, the patron of the killers, the beneficiary of the killing, and behind-the-scenes conspirator named Gen. Ziaur Rahman emerged as a strong man just like his Pakistani master Gen. Ayub Khan. This ruthless dictator rewarded some of the killers with jobs in the foreign ministry. Some of the killers were given support for forming a political party with their cadres always carrying fully loaded arms to terrorize the public. All of the killers were given impunity that gave them freedom from the consequences for the heinous crimes that they committed. Under the blessings and patronization of the military dictator Gen. Zia, the killers portrayed themselves as if they were above the law of the land. All these were happening in a country where any unruly acts were possible under the blessing of the Martial Law Administrator Gen. Zia. The conspirators and the killers did a massive propaganda to rationalize the killing of Bangabandhu and his near and dear ones. In their propaganda, they propagated that they were going to bring piece and tranquility along with the prosperity in the country, which was going through some chaos in the post-war Bangladesh. They tried in vain to suppress the glorious history of the struggle of Bangabandhu for the independence of Bangladesh.

Assassination

In the early morning of August 15, 1975, the conspirators were divided into four groups. One group, consisting of members of the Bengal Lancers of the First Armoured Division and 535 Infantry Division under Major Huda, attacked Mujibur's residence. Mujibur's son, Sheikh Kamal, fired shots from a second floor window towards the entrance. Mujibur was shot as planned, before he could show his outrage for the scandalous military intrusion to his premises by these officers. Mujibur may have had time to telephone Colonel Jamil, the new chief of Military Intelligence. Jamil was shot and killed at the gate.

Other occupants killed in the attack were Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, wife of Mujibur (killed upstairs); Sheikh Nasser and a couple of servants (in the lavatory); Sheikh Jamal; 10-year-old Sheikh Russel; and several daughters-in-law of Mujibur. Two daughters, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, were in West Germany at the time. They took refuge with the Indian government and were flown to India.

Two other groups of soldiers killed Sheikh Fazlul Haque (Mani), Mujibur's nephew and influential leader of the Awami League along with his pregnant wife at 13/1, Dhanmondi, and Abdur Rab Serniabat, Mujibur's brother-in-law, and a minister of the Government along with 13 family members on Mintu Road.

The fourth and most powerful group was sent towards Savar to repel the anticipated counter-attack by the Security Forces where after a short fight and a loss of eleven men, Security Forces surrendered.

Three months later, four major founding leaders of the Awami League, first Prime Minister of Bangladesh Tajuddin Ahmed, former Prime Minister Mansur Ali, former Vice President Syed Nazrul Islam and former Home Minister A H M Kamruzzaman were arrested and brutally murdered in Dhaka jail on November 3, 1975.