January 11, 2007: What happened behind the scenes?

On January 11, 2007, there were many speculation-imagination all day. Army Chief General Moin U. Ahmed and GOC General of 9th Infantry Division General Masud Uddin Chowdhury went to Bangabhaban at noon.
General Moin U Ahmed wrote a book about the events of that time. In a book titled 'The Dream of Peace: Memories of Time', in the book, the matter of issuing emergency status to the then President and caretaker government chief Iajuddin Ahmed came up.
In the book, Moin Yu Ahmed described, "I told the President about the situation of the country's latest situation, elections, ultimatum of anti-political parties and the position of foreign countries, especially the United States' strong stand for elections. Describing the failure of the Bangladesh Army to withdraw from the UN mission, in detail, we can explain. The Chief of the Navy and Air Force have been trying to convince the President to take care of the situation from their respective positions. "
Director General of the Directorate of Defense Intelligence Brigadier General Bari was present in the meeting. In the case of the January 22, 2007 election, the violence in the country can be created, from the perspective of the intelligence, to President Iajuddin Ahmed. In overall consideration, the military officials argued for an emergency position.
Though the idea of ​​an emergency can be issued in the country, on 11th January, it could not be ensured that the Awami League and the BNP leaders could not be sure. On that day, Awami League leaders met with ambassadors from several influential countries. The meeting was held at the Canadian High Commissioner in Dhaka. In addition to the ambassadors of European countries as well as US Ambassador and Indian High Commissioner were present.

General Moin Yu Ahmed

Senior Awami League leader Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim was present in the meeting. While describing the meeting, he said, "At one point in different words they said that the country can not live if this is the case. If this happens then chaos-anarchy will increase. If your two parties do not come to the negotiation then other things can happen. They thought the words being one. Because they did not say anything positive. "
On the one hand, the movement of the Awami League in the street and on the other side, the army officers are operating in Bangabhaban. Foreign diplomats in Dhaka became active on the same side.
In the dark about what was going to happen behind the scenes, the BNP, which had been left out of power, was left out of power. The party is busy with the January 22 election campaign. BNP leader Khaleda Zia was busy campaigning in Comilla till 10 January late night. Khaleda Zia was accompanied by senior BNP leader Khandker Mosharraf Hossain.
Khandker Mosharraf Hossain said, "In the Padua market of Comilla, there was a public meeting from 9 to 11 pm. We came back to Dhaka in one night. On the 11th afternoon I came to know that the army went from the army to the president and there was something there. With some letters from the United Nations, the Chief of Army Staff and the GOC of Ninth Infantry Division, at Bangabhaban, is declaring an emergency law to the President. "
For the general elections, the head of the caretaker government will be with whom the violent environment was a long time due to intense conflict between the two main political parties. Awami League-led opposition alliance was campaigning on the streets long before the expiration of BNP-led coalition government. At one stage, President Iajuddin Ahmed himself took charge as head of the caretaker government.

Professor Iajuddin Ahmed took oath as the Chief Advisor of the caretaker government along with the President on October 29, 2006.
General Moin U. Ahmad highlighted the international situation as well as the political situation behind the emergence of an emergency in his book. In his book, he said, "Once a representative of several powerful countries met me and told me that they would request the United Nations to withdraw the Bangladesh Army from the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission if the army supports the election without the participation of all the parties. I did not have difficulty in understanding the consequences of the underhanded threat. Needless to say that the United Nations will not be able to override the requests and opinions of these UN regulatory countries. I started thinking about the consequences of this. Still, my only concern was how the army can be kept away from the state machinery. "
At that time Dr. Shoaib Ahmed was one of the advisers of the government led by Iajuddin Ahmed. When the elections were held uncertain by the participation of all parties in the January 2 election, he was trying to "different things". On that day all the advisers sent a request to go to Bangabhaban, President Iajuddin Ahmed. Dr. Shoaib Ahmed went to Bangabhaban to find out that he was meeting with the Chief of the three forces. Then the Advisory Council all heard that the President announced the emergency. But they were not officially informed yet.
Dr. Shoaib Ahmed said, "At one stage, the President has joined us with tea chakra. There he said that due to the complexity of the situation, the caretaker government has to be broken. We have all gone with the registration. "
That night, the process of forming another government began. When Nobel Laureate Professor Yunus proposed to the government's chief adviser first, he did not agree with it. Then Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmad came forward with a proposal. Some army officers, including army chief General Moin Yu Ahmed, were also involved in the process. Barrister Mainul Hossain had joined the government as one of the advisers under the leadership of Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed.
Regarding joining a new caretaker government, Barrister Mainul Hossain said, "The people were sent to me and it was said that you came. It was said that nobody would know it. As I was in the Prime Minister's office there. There I saw the officers of the army. Was present as 15-20 people. "
Barrister Mainul Hossein thought that maybe military rule was going to be issued. General Moin U Ahmed explained the situation in front of everyone and requested Barrister Mainul Hossain to join a new caretaker government. But Barrister Mainul Hossain said, without directly joining the government, he will assist the new government.
Barrister Mainul Hussain Sarkar, as the argument, presented the issue of his inexperience. Then the army officials gave 48 Hours to Barrister Mainul Hossain for considering the matter.

In a eleven Eastern Bangladesh, the situation in which the political situation prevailed, General Ahmed described the book as a civil war situation at that time. This picture was two-eighth day before
"I was called after 48 hours. In this I knew that Fakhruddin would be made the chief adviser. Then I thought that if Fakhruddin Sahib was there, then all right. Can go. I also talked to Fakhruddin. He said that if you come, it will be good. That's how I agreed, "said Barrister Mainul Hossain.
Awami League leaders Sheikh Hasina and HJ Ershad were present at the oath ceremony of Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and grand alliance leaders. She said that the government is the crop of Awami League's movement, Sheikh Hasina said. But at one stage, the government had arrested many Awami League leaders including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as well.
Awami League leader Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said that despite the good talk at the beginning, the government's purpose changed. At one point, the government had taken several steps to exclude Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia from politics. Along with politicians, many top businessmen were also detained. There was strong surveillance on the press.
The pressure on the military-backed government was also increasing in a general election. Finally, on 29 December 2008, general elections were held in all the parties. By which the country returned to democracy after two years.