Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Assassination - A Conspiracy That Still Haunts Bangladesh

On the blood-soaked morning of August 15, 1975, the bullets that ripped through the home at  Dhanmondi 32 were meant to do far more than end the life of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; they were meant to assassinate the very soul of Bangladesh. They were aimed at erasing the dream he had carved into existence with courage, sacrifice, and unyielding love for his people. They sought to destroy a vision of a free, secular, and just nation, to rip the beating heart out of a country barely four years old.

But the conspirators’ thirst did not end with Mujib’s death. His blood on the floors of Dhanmondi 32 was only the beginning of their mission. Over the decades, they have shifted shapes, sometimes wearing the uniform of power, sometimes the mask of diplomacy, sometimes hiding behind false patriotism. They have plotted from foreign capitals, whispered in backroom deals, and stirred unrest on the streets. Always with the same, singular aim: dismantle his vision, bury his legacy, and undo the sovereignty that millions fought and died for.

From the shattered walls of Dhanmondi 32 to the political battlegrounds of 2025, the enemy has never disappeared; it has only grown more cunning. Today, the rifles of 1975 have been replaced with disinformation campaigns, economic sabotage, and calculated violence. The coup has been replaced with covert conspiracies. Yet the target remains unchanged: Bangladesh’s identity, its democracy, and its rightful leader, Sheikh Hasina, the daughter who carries her father’s torch and refuses to bow to the forces that once murdered him.

Why Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Was Targeted

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of Bangladesh’s independence, was far more than a political leader; he was a symbol of freedom, justice, and Bengali identity. His rise was meteoric because he carried the dreams of a people who had endured decades of linguistic, economic, and political oppression under West Pakistan. By August 1975, Mujibur Rahman had become the living embodiment of the Bengali nation, and that made him a target for both internal rivals and foreign powers who feared his vision.

The conspiracy behind the assassination of Bangabandhu

Internally, Mujibur Rahman faced jealousy, resentment, and conspiracies from within the ranks of his own country. Some military officers, disgruntled, ambitious, and ideologically opposed to his leadership, viewed his progressive policies, secular nationalism, and efforts to build a strong, sovereign Bangladesh as a threat to their personal power and influence. Among them was Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, a trusted colleague who betrayed him and briefly assumed power after the coup, illustrating that the plot was not merely a military mutiny but a calculated betrayal from within.

Discontent was particularly strong among pro-Western, anti-socialist, and pro-Islamist factions within Bangladesh’s own military and political elite. These groups were alarmed by Mujibur Rahman’s socialist-leaning economic reforms, secular governance, and nationalist agenda, which clashed directly with their own interests and ideological alignments. The conspirators saw his elimination as a way to restore a power structure more favorable to their vision, even if it meant plunging the nation into chaos.

Externally, the political landscape of the 1970s made Bangladesh a hotbed of international intrigue. Bangladesh had emerged victorious in the 1971 Liberation War, with the support of India and the former Soviet Union, defeating Pakistan and shaking the geopolitical balance in South Asia. The Western Enemies, Pakistan, and their allied intelligence networks were deeply unsettled by Mujibur Rahman’s pro-people, anti-imperialist, and independent foreign policy stance. Allegations abound that the Western Intelligence, in coordination with Pakistan’s ISI, maintained close contacts with conspirators to sabotage Bangladesh’s leadership. While direct evidence remains classified or obscured, respected journalists like Mark Tully and researchers such as Lawrence Lifschultz have long argued that international connections were almost certainly behind the coup, reflecting a global interest in destabilizing Mujibur Rahman’s government.

Mujibur Rahman’s policies, aimed at economic reconstruction, social justice, and secular governance, also drew ire from domestic and foreign actors alike. His emphasis on secularism and Bengali identity, particularly through language and culture, challenged entrenched power structures that relied on division and fear. To these forces, removing Mujibur Rahman was not just an act of ambition; it was an attempt to erase the very foundations of the new nation.

The plot was meticulously orchestrated, with conspirators planning not only the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman but also targeting his entire family, knowing that leaving his lineage alive could threaten their long-term schemes. The attack on Dhanmondi 32 was brutal and calculated, designed to send a chilling message to a fledgling nation: resistance would be met with absolute violence.

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In essence, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was targeted because he was the embodiment of Bengali sovereignty, the champion of a just, secular state, and a thorn in the side of powerful domestic and international actors, particularly pro-Western, anti-socialist, and pro-Islamist factions. His assassination was not an isolated act of violence; it was the culmination of years of plotting, hatred, and fear, a carefully orchestrated plan to silence the voice of a people and hijack the destiny of a nation.

The Role of National and International Forces

The tragedy of 15th August 1975 was not the work of a few misguided officers; it was the result of a calculated conspiracy involving both domestic traitors and international players who could not tolerate the rise of an independent, self-reliant Bangladesh under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Inside Bangladesh, anti-liberation political factions, remnants of those who had sided with Pakistan during 1971, were plotting their return. Islamist hardliners, enraged by Mujib’s secular constitution, saw in his death an opportunity to reshape the country’s identity. And within the military, a group of ambitious officers sought to shift Bangladesh towards a pro-Western, anti-Indian foreign policy.

At the center of the coup were Major Syed Faruque Rahman, Major Rashid, Major Dalim, Major Mohiuddin, Major Noor, and others, many of whom were driven not by patriotism but by personal ambition, political greed, and foreign influence. They were not acting in isolation; their strings were being pulled from beyond Bangladesh’s borders.

Major Ziaur Rahman, then Deputy Chief of Army Staff, played a dubious and dangerous role. Though he did not openly take part in the assassination, his silence, inaction, and subsequent political maneuvers made him one of the biggest beneficiaries of Mujib’s murder. Zia’s rise to power was no accident; it was part of a larger plan to replace the pro-people government with one that served foreign strategic interests.

Zia’ Role in the Assassination of Bangabandhu

Beyond Bangladesh’s borders, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was eager to reverse the humiliation of 1971. To them, Mujib was more than an enemy; he was the man who shattered Pakistan into two and proved their “two-nation theory” a lie. His closeness to India and his vision of a secular Bengali nation were intolerable.

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On the global stage, Cold War geopolitics played its hand. A Western power, alarmed by Mujib’s deepening ties with the Soviet Union and his push for economic self-reliance, saw him as a threat to their regional influence. A destabilized Bangladesh, weakened, divided, and desperate for foreign aid, was far easier to control. Other regional actors, uncomfortable with the strengthening India-Bangladesh alliance, quietly welcomed the coup.

These forces, both within and outside the country, collaborated to erase Sheikh Mujibur Rahman physically and politically. They not only orchestrated the killings but also tried to erase his legacy. The coup of 1975 was not just an assassination; it was an attempted assassination of Bangladesh’s soul.

Sheikh Hasina’s Return and the Ongoing Hatred

When Sheikh Hasina returned to power in 2008, it marked more than just a political victory; it was the beginning of a long-delayed quest for justice. For over three decades, the murderers of her father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had walked free, shielded by military regimes and political compromises. But under Hasina’s leadership, the 2007–2010 trials finally brought the assassins to the dock.

The process was not one of vengeance, but of due legal procedure. Witnesses were called, evidence was examined, and the law was allowed to speak. In the end, 12 of the killers were found guilty, and after the Supreme Court upheld the death sentences, they were executed. This was not mob justice; it was the state’s long-overdue reckoning with treachery. It earned Hasina the respect of millions of Bangladeshis who had waited decades for closure. But it also ignited the undying hatred of the very forces that had orchestrated 1975.

Because she is Mujib’s daughter, and because she had the courage to bring his killers to justice, Sheikh Hasina has remained a prime target. The anti-liberation elements who once celebrated Mujib’s death have never forgiven her. Pakistan’s ISI, still bitter over 1971 and enraged by her pro-India stance, has been repeatedly linked to plots against her life. For these forces, Hasina’s leadership is an obstacle; she embodies the victory of 1971, the survival of Mujib’s legacy, and the rejection of foreign domination.

ISI conspiracy in Bangladesh to topple Sheikh Hasina & establish an anti-India govt

Their most dangerous attempt in recent years came on 5 August 2024. What was portrayed as political unrest bore all the signs of a coordinated foreign-backed operation, an effort to oust or even assassinate Hasina. Intelligence sources and eyewitness accounts pointed to external funding, foreign logistical support, and the fingerprints of Pakistan’s ISI. It was the same playbook from 1975: destabilize the state, remove the pro-liberation leadership, and dismantle the foundations of secular, independent Bangladesh.

Western plot against Sheikh Hasina

For the enemies of 1971, Hasina is not just a political opponent; she is the living continuation of the Bangladesh they tried to destroy. And as long as she leads, their conspiracy is not over.

Erasing Mujib’s Legacy – A Modern Conspiracy

The hatred that drove the bullets of 15 August 1975 has not faded; it has merely changed form. The enemies of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman may no longer storm his home with rifles, but they are waging a different kind of war, one against his memory. Their mission is clear: erase Mujib from the nation’s heart, rewrite its history, and sever the bond between Bangladesh and its liberation ideals.

Sheikh Mujib’s house at Dhanmondi 32 vandalised, set on fire

The attacks are both physical and psychological. Dhanmondi 32, Mujib’s historic residence and the very site where his blood was spilled, has been vandalized, a brazen act aimed not just at damaging bricks and mortar, but at insulting the sacrifice that home represents. Across the country, statues, murals, and monuments dedicated to Mujib and the Liberation War have been defaced or destroyed. These are not random acts of hooliganism; they are coordinated strikes designed to chip away at the physical symbols of independence.

Govt largely responsible for the demolition of the Mujib residence at Dhanmondi

In the digital space, the battle is even more insidious. Social media disinformation campaigns are working overtime to distort the history of 1971, portraying the collaborators as “patriots” and smearing the freedom fighters as villains. Their goal is to poison young minds, to create a generation that questions or even rejects Mujib’s role in the birth of Bangladesh.

Educational institutions, cultural centers, and historical archives are also under quiet attack. Lessons on the Liberation War are watered down or replaced with revisionist narratives. Public commemorations are mocked or undermined. Every move is calculated to disconnect new generations from the ideals of secularism, democracy, and national self-respect that Mujib stood for.

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This is not simply the politics of today; it is the continuation of the conspiracy of 1975, repackaged for the modern era. The same hands that once pulled the trigger are now wielding lies, vandalism, and propaganda. And if they succeed, Bangladesh will not just lose its history, it will lose its soul.

Why This Conspiracy Still Matters

The war against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did not end with his assassination; it continues every day in subtler, yet no less dangerous, forms. Attacking Mujib’s memory is not just an assault on a man; it is an attack on Bangladesh itself. Every vandalized statue, every distorted lesson, every erased historical record chips away at the identity, soul, and conscience of the nation.

Cracking the mysterious killing of Bangabandhu is key to Bangladesh’s stability

This conspiracy is a direct threat to Bangladesh’s secular values, its hard-won democracy, and the ideals of the Liberation War. Mujib’s vision was of a nation built on justice, equality, and freedom, principles that his killers and their international backers, then and now, have sought to destroy. The forces behind these attacks, from anti-liberation domestic actors to foreign intelligence agencies like Pakistan’s ISI, have never accepted an independent, self-reliant Bangladesh. And because Sheikh Hasina, Mujib’s daughter, brought his killers to justice, they remain obsessed with undermining her and the nation she leads.

National unity is no longer just a moral imperative; it is a survival strategy. Only by standing together, remembering the sacrifices of 1971, honoring Mujib’s legacy, and rejecting the lies and distortions of his enemies, can Bangladesh resist both foreign interference and domestic betrayal. The unfinished war that began in 1975 is alive today, and the stakes could not be higher.

The lesson is clear: to erase Mujib is to erase Bangladesh. To honor him is to defend the nation’s very soul. The conspirators of 1975 may have struck first, but the people of Bangladesh, led by the courage of Sheikh Hasina, continue to fight back, ensuring that the Father of the Nation remains eternal in the heart of his country.