Dhaka

The Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has handed over Major (Retd) Muzaffar Hossain (77), a fugitive accused in the assassination case of Former President Ziaur Rahman, to the Army. Earlier, DB arrested him at a residence in Banani in the capital, Dhaka.

According to DB sources, Major Muzaffar Hossain had been in hiding in various locations ever since the assassination of Former President Ziaur Rahman. The Detective Branch tracked down his location using reliable intelligence sources and information technology analysis.

Under the overall guidance of the Additional Commissioner of Police (Detective Branch) of DMP, Md. Shafiqul Islam, BPM, PPM, an operational team conducted a raid and arrested him from a house in Banani last Wednesday (15 July) at 10:10 PM (Local time). Following his arrest, his identity was confirmed through interrogation, and the Armed Forces Division was immediately notified.

"Subsequently, on Thursday (16 July) at 6:10 PM, he was handed over to a team of Military Police from the Dhaka Cantonment following due legal procedures", police said in a statement.

In May 1981, Zia was assassinated by gunfire at the Circuit House in Chattogram.

Due to his connection with the assassination, Major Mojafor Hossain was accused at that time, and he has remained a fugitive since then. The Bangladesh government announced a reward for his capture.

More than 45 years after the assassination, the detective branch announced that they have arrested Major Mojafor.

The former president Ziaur Rahman was the father of the current prime minister of Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman.

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President Zia was the husband of Bangladesh's former Prime Minister, Khaleda Zia.

Lieutenant General Ziaur Rahman Bir Uttam (1936-1981) was the founder of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. He was the Chief of Army Staff and later became the elected President of Bangladesh. He opened up multi-party democracy in Bangladesh and defined Bangladeshi Nationalism.

Ziaur Rahman became Chief Martial Law Administrator on 19 November 1976 when Justice Sayem relinquished his position, and ultimately the President of Bangladesh on 21 April 1977 when President Sayem resigned.