Historical Timeline

• Recorded history of Bangladesh is traceable to the 4th century B.C. with clear evidence of flourishing civilization consisting of cities, palaces, temples, forts, seats of learning, and monasteries.
• 1200 A.D: Bangladesh sees the advent of the Muslims and enjoys periods of prosperity under Muslim rule.
• 17th Century: Bangladesh enjoys a time of economic well being.
• 1757: The British take control and begin colonial rule.
• 1947: The British leave the Indian subcontinent. Bangladesh becomes "East Bengal/East Pakistan" as part of Pakistan.
• 1971: Bangladesh emerges as a sovereign state through an armed struggle under the leadership of the "Father of the Nation," Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who becomes the first prime minister.
• 1975: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is assassinated along with his wife and three sons. General Zia-ur Rahman, who had led the Bangladeshi freedom fighters in the war against Pakistan, takes over as chief martial law administrator, and later assumes the presidency.
• 1979: Zia's party, the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), wins two thirds of the vote in a national election.
• 1981: Zia is assassinated in an attempted coup. New elections are held and the BNP again wins two thirds of the vote.
• 1982: General Hossain Mohammed Ershad seizes power and places the country under martial law.
• 1990: Ershad's regime never delivers on his promises and is known for its corruption. He is toppled and put in jail by a popular uprising led by students around the country. Shahabuddin Ahmad was named Acting President until elections could be held.
• 1991: General Zia's widow, Khaled Zia, is elected as prime minister with the BNP party.

Sheikh Hasina was elected as Prime Minister in 1996 and is the daughter of the Father of the Nation, Rahman. She was the only member of the Rahman family to survive the 1975 assassination because she was in West Germany at the time. She led the opposition movement against Ershad throughout the 1980s. In the early 1990s she demanded the resignation of the BNP government and proposed the establishment of a non-partisan, caretaker government to conduct the national elections. Prime Minister Zia was forced to resign in 1996.

Shahabuddin Ahmed ran unapposed for the Presidency in 1996 and is President today. His past career roles include Chief Justice and Chairman of the Bangladesh Red Cross Society. On his initiative, the Family Planning and Population Control program was included in the main function of the Bangladesh Red Cross.