A judicial inquiry report into the 1981 assassination of former President Ziaur Rahman has surfaced publicly for the first time, 45 years after it was submitted, revealing what investigators described as serious failures in security and intelligence that led to the killing.
According to the report, obtained by The Daily Star, President Ziaur Rahman was assassinated during a military uprising at Chattogram Circuit House on May 30, 1981, despite the presence of armed police and members of the President's Guard Regiment. The commission concluded that the attackers encountered virtually no resistance.
The inquiry, formed on June 6, 1981, under acting President Justice Abdus Sattar and chaired by former Chief Justice Ruhul Islam, submitted its findings in September of that year. However, the report was never officially released.
The commission found that its original mandate to investigate the alleged conspiracy behind the assassination was later narrowed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, limiting the inquiry to evaluating security arrangements, negligence by officials, and the administration's response after the killing.
The report raised serious concerns over the conduct of several senior security officials and questioned the role of members of the President's personal staff, particularly Lt. Col. Abu Yusuf Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman. It also highlighted unexplained security lapses, including the withdrawal of guards from outside the President's room and the failure of security personnel to resist the attackers.
Investigators concluded that the assassination was primarily the result of intelligence failures. Although intelligence agencies had reportedly warned about the rebellious activities of Major General Muhammad Abul Manzur and other officers, no effective preventive measures were taken.
The report also described how President Zia's body remained at the Circuit House for several hours before being removed by military personnel. Local authorities reportedly failed to protect or recover the body during the rebellion due to the lack of instructions from Dhaka and the temporary control of Chattogram by rebel forces.
The commission further concluded that Major General Muhammad Abul Manzur played a central role in the failed coup and that tensions between him and President Zia had intensified following his transfer order just days before the assassination.
In its final assessment, the commission stated that the assassination resulted from a combination of intelligence failures, inadequate security measures, and negligence by agencies responsible for protecting the President. Despite the availability of trained personnel and sufficient weapons, a small group of attackers was able to carry out the assassination and leave the scene with almost no resistance.
