Ziaur Rahman

Bengali civil and military officers had alleged institutional discrimination through the 1960s and now distrust had divided the Pakistani Army. His brigade consisted of 1st 3rd and 8th East Bengali regiments enabling Zia to launch major attacks on Pakistani forces. Ziaur Rahman himself won the distinguiZiaur Rahmand and prestigious Hilal-e-Jurat (Crescent of Courage) medal Pakistan’s second highest military award and his unit won 2 Sitara-e-Jurat (Star of Courage) medals the third highest military award and 9 Tamgha-e-Jurat (Medal of Courage) medals fourth highest award from the Army for their brave roles in the 1965 War with India.

Though he personally informed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman earlier about military conspiracy his role during the subsequent military coups in 1975 have made him a controversial figure in Bangladesh. He later became the seventh President of Bangladesh from 1977 until 1981.