Tag: Bangladesh
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Vast Crowds Mourn at Burial of Zia
William Branigin, Washington Post (June 3, 1981) Hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis poured through the streets of this crowded, dirt-poor capital today in a funeral procession for slain President Ziaur Rahman and the government announced the deaths of three leaders of the rebellion that took his life. At least one person was reported killed as…
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UK Foreign Office’s confidential letter on Zia
President Ziaur Rahman paid an official visit to the United Kingdom in June 1980 that made headlines in The Times and The Guardian. A letter was sent to the Prime Minister’s office when he expressed his willingness to visit the United Kingdom and have a discussion with Prime Minister Margaret Hilda Thatcher from the Foreign…
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Ziaur Rahman: The man who gave us our identity
When President Ziaur Rahman was killed, he was only 45. But within this short life span he contributed enormously to Bangladesh. His catalytic role in initiating the mass revolt among Bengali members of the armed-forces after the brutal military crackdown of 25th March 1971, and his contribution as a military leader of Bangladesh’s war of…
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Ziaur Rahman and the ‘Force’
The force was never with late president Ziaur Rahman. DUCSU was then under BNP’s student wing Chhatra Dal (JCD) control, so was majority of the dorms of DU. JCD was overwhelmingly single largest students’ party at DU campus. At that time, when two new dorms were built at DU, they were named Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib…
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Remembering Major Zia
“The greater number is generally composed of men of sluggish tempers, slow to act . . . they are unwilling to take early and vigorous measures for their defense, and they are almost always caught unprepared. . . .A smaller number, more expedite, awakened, active, vigorous and courageous, make amends for what they want in…
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Ziaur Rahman: the kind of statesman we need now
Today is the 30th death anniversary of President Ziaur Rahman. This anniversary comes at a time when Zia, his image, contribution and his philosophy are under the fiercest attack ever. After decades of relentless attack on Zia, the war hero and Zia the statesman, after abysmal failure of Zia’s party to portray him appropriately and…
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Colonel Taher: A Hero or A Villain?
This was written for Uttorshuri in two installments on Taher Day during July 2006. I am re-posting this on the eve of November 7. This post is not intended to demonize veteran Freedom fighter and ambitious patriotic leader Colonel Abu Taher. No one argues that Col Taher was a patriot and he wanted to prosper…
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