News & Views

The Bangladesh army has foiled a plan to bring down the government of Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister, according to a military spokesman. Brigadier-General Muhammad Masud Razzaq said around 16 former and active officers were involved in the plot, unearthed in December. "Specific information has been unearthed that some officers in military service have been involved in the conspiracy to topple the system of democratic governance," Razzaq said on Thursday. "A band of fanatic officers had been trying to oust the politically established government." Several officers have been arrested and will be presented before a court of inquiry. Razzaq said serving officer Major Syed Ziaul Haq, who was now on the run, had circulated emails to different serving officers detailing a plan to overthrow the government on January 9-10. The Muslim group Hizb-e-Tahrir, banned in Bangladesh in 2009 after it was linked to a car bomb on a politician, was accused of helping to circulate the messages. Razzaq said the plot had been fomented by Bangladeshi expatriates in touch with "religiously fanatic army officers". Coup fears