1977 Bangladesh Air Force mutiny
The 1977 Bangladesh Air Force mutiny was a mutiny in Dhaka on 1 October 1977 by members of Bangladesh Air force and the Signal corps of Bangladesh Army.[1]
1977 Bangladesh Air Force mutiny | |||||||
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| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
| Mutineers from Bangladesh Air Force and Army Signals corp | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
21 |
Background
Bangladesh was under a military government headed by President Ziaur Rahman who had come to power through a coup. The government of Bangladesh was busy with the Japan Airlines Flight 472 hijacking and the exchange of hostages for ransom.[1] The Japanese Red Army had hijacked the plane and landed it in Tejgaon Airport in Dhaka.[2] The hijackers were warned of the mutiny and told to take defensive position if they saw armed personnel moving towards the plane by the air control tower.[3]
Events
The revolt was carried out by lower ranking soldiers of Bangladesh Army Signals Battalion and Bangladesh Air Force.[4] The mutineers had killed 11 officers in Tejgaon Airport.[2] Ten soldiers were killed from the army.[5] The mutineers took over Dhaka Radio station briefly and attacked the residence of president Ziaur Rahman.[6] After the mutiny was brought under control of the government, hundreds of soldiers, mostly from the Air Force, were arrested and tried in military tribunals. Hundreds were convicted and executed in Dhaka Central Jail.[5] The government of President Zia officially announced the hanging of 561 Air Force personal.[7][8] The mutiny was led by Sergeant Afsar of Bangladesh Air Force, he was influenced by the ideology of Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal.[9]
References
- "Bangladesh Says It Has Put Down An Armed Coup". The New York Times. 2 October 1977. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- "Tales of critical times". The Daily Star. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- Masters, Edward E. (2 October 1977). "Hijacking and Internal Security in Dacca". WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks cable: 1977DACCA05583_c. Retrieved 14 December 2016. Cite journal requires
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(help) - Masters, Edward E. (4 October 1977). "Bangladesh Mutiny". WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks cable: 1977DACCA05677_c. Retrieved 14 December 2016. Cite journal requires
|journal=
(help) - "A dictator and his victims". The Daily Star. 22 January 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- Islam, N. (2016). Governance for Development: Political and Administrative Reforms in Bangladesh. Springer. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-137-54254-0.
- "Bangladesh says 561 military men hanged after 1977 coup attempt". UPI. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- Rahman, Syedur (2010). Historical Dictionary of Bangladesh. Scarecrow Press. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-8108-7453-4.
- "Clandestine killings in the Bangladesh Army". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 14 December 2016.