Ershad, H. M.
(b. 1930), President of Bangladesh. Born in the Rangpur District of modern-day Bangladesh, Hussain Muhammad Ershad became a career officer in the Pakistan army, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel by 1971. Stationed in Pakistan when Bangladesh and Pakistan split, he was interned there (as an East Pakistani he was believed to be disloyal to a united Pakistan) and did not return to Bangladesh until 1973, when he was included in the Bangladesh army. Ershad succeeded Ziaur Rahman (Zia) as chief of staff in 1978. From that position, he overthrew the Bangladesh Nationalist Party government of Abdus Sattar, who had succeeded to the presidency on thedeath of President Zia. He assumed the title of president in December 1984, having earlier ruled as chief martial-law administrator. Although an unpopular and unelected leader (he did win an obviously rigged referendum in 1986), Ershad continued many of the development programs of Zia and was rather successful in reducing the rate of population growth, receiving a citation from the United Nations for this. Opposition, which was endemic, peaked in the last months of 1990, resulting in his resignation in December 1990. He had formed a party, the Jatiya (People's) Party, which contested in the 1991 and June 1996 elections, finishing third each time. In 1996 the Jatiya Party supported an Awami League–led coalition, but the party has since split and the faction led by Ershad has withdrawn support from Sheikh Hasina and joined Khaleda Zia in opposition.
Former President Ershad at a Jatiya Party rally in Dhaka in March 1997. (AFP/CORBIS)Further Reading
Ahmed, Moudud. (1995) Democracy and the Challenge of Development: A Study of Politics and Military Intervention in Bangladesh. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House.
Baxter, Craig. (1997) Bangladesh from a Nation to a State. Boulder, CO: Westview.
This is the complete article, containing 293 words
(approx. 1 page at 300 words per page).
