Former President of Bangladesh Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem’s life was hanging in the balance until he resigned from his office. He made this remark in his autobiography ‘At Bangabhaban: The Last Phase’.
Following the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sayem was made president of the country for more than a year till 1977.
President Sayem, who was succeeded by Ziaur Rahman, secretly bore the pain of not being able to hand over power to people’s representatives through an election.
The autobiography sheds light on how “weapons became the only means by which then military Chief Ziaur Rahman grabbed the state power.”
Sayem wrote that Zia promised him he would arrange an election. But, staying in the position of the military chief, he organised a ‘yes-no’ vote, which means that he was the sole candidate and people could vote only in favour of or against him.This is a dark chapter in history that the BNP kept locked for long.
