Rashed Chowdhury

In 1975 some dissatisfied Bangladesh Army officers planned to remove the government of Sheikh Mujib through a military coup d'état, the date they selected was 15 August 1975. On 14 August the officers including Rashed met to finalize the plan. They attacked Sheikh Mujib's house killing him along with his entire family except two of his daughters who were living abroad on the 15 August.[4] Major Rashid was part of the team that attacked the residence of Abdur Rab Serniabat and killed him.[5] He was promoted to lieutenant colonel by the regime that followed.[6]

Following an abortive coup in 17 June 1980, Rashed was sent to the Bangladeshi diplomatic mission in Nigeria, where he worked till 1984.[7] Rashed was in a diplomatic posting in Tokyo when the Bangladesh Awami League came to power in 1996. He left his post and fled to the United States after the Government of Bangladesh recalled him. The government seized 1.15 acres of his land in Hajiganj Upazila, Chandpur District.[8] Bangladesh government had officially approached the United States government to deport Rashed.[7]

On 19 November 2009, Bangladesh Supreme Court upheld the High Court verdict that had given death sentences to 12 people including Rashed.[9]