On 24 March 1982, Bangladesh witnessed a defining moment in its political history. On this day, the then Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad, seized power in a bloodless coup, removing President Abdus Sattar, who was also the chairperson of the BNP at the time. Ershad declared martial law, suspended the constitution, and established a military regime, citing economic crisis and political instability as justification. He assumed the role of Chief Martial Law Administrator and, by 1983, elevated himself to the presidency. General Ershad remained in power as a dictator and authoritarian ruler until the end of 1990.
His downfall came through a sustained and broad-based popular uprising led by students, civil society, and political parties. After his resignation, Ershad spent several years in and out of jail under successive BNP, Awami League, and caretaker governments. Following his death, his political party, the Jatiya Party, gradually weakened. After the February 2026 general election, the party was effectively wiped off the electoral map and lost its parliamentary presence—marking the end of an era and, in many ways, the end of the Jatiya Party as a national political force.
A Parallel Moment in 2026: The Arrest of Lt Gen (Retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury
Remarkably, on the same date—24 March, but in 2026—another former military officer with significant political influence, Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury, was arrested. A Dhaka court granted a five day remand for questioning in a human trafficking case. The order was issued by Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junayed following a hearing, as confirmed by Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk Faruqi.
Masud Uddin Chowdhury was detained the previous night from Baridhara DOHS by the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. According to police, he faces multiple cases—six in Feni and five in Dhaka. He was shown arrested in a human trafficking case filed with Paltan Police Station and produced before the court.
His Role in the 1/11 Political Changeover
Gen Masud was a prominent figure during the 2007–08 political crisis, commonly referred to as the 1/11 period. He served as:
• General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 9 Infantry Division in Savar when the state of emergency was declared on 11 January 2007
• Chief Coordinator of the National Coordination Committee on Serious Crimes and Corruption
• Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division
• Later, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Australia (2008–2014)
He was widely regarded as one of the key architects of the 1/11 political intervention, alongside Gen Moeen U Ahmed and President Iajuddin Ahmed. His career also included service in the Jatiya Rakkhi Bahini, later absorbed into the Bangladesh Army.
Diplomatic cables released publicly have noted allegations made by political figures about his role during the emergency period, reflecting the complex and often controversial nature of that era.
Later Political and Social Life
After retiring from the military, Masud Uddin entered politics. He was elected Member of Parliament for Feni 3 in 2018 and again in 2024 on a Jatiya Party ticket, supported by the Awami League. He also became president of the Baridhara Cosmopolitan Club and was re elected in 2018.
Following the fall of the Awami League government in February 2025, his home in Feni was burned and vandalized. His arrest in March 2026 marks a dramatic turn in the trajectory of a once powerful figure.
During the remand hearing, a state counsel remarked:
“The person this officer once tried to torture and kill is now the country’s prime minister.”
History’s Recurring Pattern
The parallels between Gen Ershad and Gen Masud are striking. Both rose to positions of immense power. Both were central actors in pivotal political transitions. And both ultimately faced legal consequences long after their periods of influence had passed.
Their stories underscore a recurring truth in political history:
• Power is temporary
• Abuse of authority leaves lasting consequences
• The institutions of law eventually catch up, even with the most powerful
The arc of their careers—rising through the military, shaping national politics, and later confronting the force of the law—illustrates how history often repeats itself in unexpected but sobering ways.
Nashit Rahman
London
24th March 2026