One of the most tightly guarded secrets in Bangladesh’s political history has finally come to light. The official investigation report regarding the May 30, 1981, murder of President Ziaur Rahman—submitted by the Inquiry Commission in September of that year—was entirely lost to the annals of time and never made public. Now, 45 years after its original submission, a physical copy of the document, officially signed by the Commission’s president, has been uncovered, allowing the nation to finally examine its startling findings.
The Night of the Assassination
President Ziaur Rahman was assassinated during an attempted military coup in the early hours of May 30, 1981, inside the Chattogram Circuit House. The details preserved in the report paint a horrific picture of the aftermath.
According to the documentation, witnesses found the President lying dead in a pool of blood just outside Room No. 4. The investigation noted that his body was completely riddled with bullets, and a portion of his face had been severely mutilated by brush-fire executed from very close range.
Lax Security and Inner Complicity
The most damning major finding established by the Commission was the shocking realization that the security surrounding the President was overwhelmingly lax. Despite the Circuit House being “armed to the hilt,” the incoming killers faced almost zero resistance.
The report explicitly casts suspicion on the inner circle, stating: “We also have reasons to believe that the late President’s security was compromised by one or more of his personal staff during his stay in the Circuit House”. The Commission highlighted several specific anomalies regarding Lt Col Mahfuzur Rahman, who was staying in the room directly east of the President’s quarters on the night of the attack:
- Suspicious Requests: On the morning of the assassination, Lt Col Mahfuz made an unusual request to the officer in charge of the Circuit House, asking to be supplied with typed copies of charts indicating exactly who was occupying which room.
- Lack of Protective Initiative: The Commission questioned Lt Col Mahfuz’s motives and his distinct lack of initiative to safeguard the President or his body. Furthermore, the report emphasized that an Aide-de-Camp (ADC) would normally be expected to utilize the connecting doors to help the President escape an imminent threat, but no such action occurred.
- Fabricated Evidence: The Commission analyzed bullet marks on the wall inside Lt Col Mahfuz’s room, which he claimed were caused by gunfire from outside his door. Expert police analysis concluded this was “very unlikely” and that the possibility of subsequent fabrication could not be ruled out.
The Removal of the Body
The Commission was also originally tasked with understanding why Ziaur Rahman’s body was not immediately secured, allowing the assailants to remove it from the crime scene. Shortly after the assassination, a rebel army faction snatched the President’s body and buried it in an undisclosed location, later discovered in Rangunia upazila.
The September 1981 inquiry report specifically named a retired major, Muzaffar, identifying him as being involved in the removal and concealment of Zia’s body from the Circuit House.
Formation of the Hidden Commission
To understand the context of the document, it is important to note that the Inquiry Commission was established on June 6, 1981, by then-acting president Justice Abdus Sattar. The investigation commenced its work on June 25, 1981. The panel was led by former chief justice Justice Ruhul Islam and featured prominent legal figures, including Justice Abu Taher Mohammad Afzal and Khulna District and Sessions Judge Syed Serajuddin Ahmed. Despite successfully outlining the conspiracy, identifying the conspirators, and assessing the complicity of those involved, the findings remained buried for over four decades.
