15 August 1975 Bangladeshi coup d'état

A military coup was launched in Bangladesh on August 15, 1975, by mid-ranking army officers in order to assassinate President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, also known as Bangabandhu (lit. 'Friend of Bengal') or Mujib, was the country's founding president, but post-independence his administration grew corrupt and reportedly 'increasingly authoritarian' until he formed a 'one-party state' led by the socialist Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League. Mujib was killed during the coup, along with many of his family members who were living in Bangladesh at the time, but he was survived by his two then-expat daughters, one of whom was future prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The officers were led by Capt. Abdul Majed, Major Syed Faruque Rahman, Major Khandaker Abdur Rashid and Major Shariful Haque Dalim.

Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, one of Mujib's close associates and cabinet ministers, took control of the government immediately following the coup with support of the officers and declared himself President of Bangladesh. Under martial law, he made a proclamation on 20 August to amend the constitution to omit the provision for the legal basis for the one-party system. He reportedly praised the assassin officers, calling them "Children of the Sun", and proclaimed the Indemnity Ordinance, which granted them immunity from prosecution. They were all later toppled by a counter-coup on 3 November 1975.