Sattar was ineffective, however, and Army Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. H. M. Ershad assumed power in a bloodless coup in March 1982.

Ershad resigned as chief of army staff, retired from military service, and was elected president in October 1986.

In 1990, Hasina's 8-party alliance was instrumental along with another BNP-led alliance in finally removing the Ershad regime.

Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad ( Retired ) ( Hussein Muhammad Ershad, born February 1, 1930 ) is a Bangladeshi politician who was President of Bangladesh from 1983 to 1990.

Hussain Muhammad Ershad was born in Rangpur in 1930.

After attending advanced military courses in National Defence University ( NDU ), India, Ershad was appointed Deputy chief of army staff in 1975 by Major General Ziaur Rahman when Zia became the Deputy Chief Martial Law Administrator following Chief Justice of Bangladesh Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem's elevation to the presidency on November 7, 1975.

It is widely speculated that Monjur was used as a scapegoat and Ershad himself was behind the liquidation of President Zia ; although never proven in any court of law, even when Zia's widow was in power in 1991-1996 and again in 2001-2006.

Ershad came to power in a bloodless coup on 24 March 1982 and proclaimed himself Chief Martial Law Administrator ( CMLA ), President Justice Sattar was replaced.

SAARC Summit 1986, Dhaka Bangabhaban ; HM Ershad, Rajiv Gandhi, Ziaul Huq among other Head of States Ershad played a key role during the SAARC Summit in 1985, which was the first summit held in Dhaka, uniting all member states of South-East Asian States.

In a sham Presidential Election, 1987, Ershad was nominated by Jatiyo Party, which had been created by him and his supporters.

* In recognition of outstanding contributions to increasing the awareness of population questions and to their solution Ershad was awarded UN Population Award in 1987 by the General Assembly.

H M Ershad stabilized the Bangladesh Armed Forces which was facing a series of Coups and counter Coups ever since its emergence as a nation in 1971.

Although anti-Ershad sentiment was strong, H M Ershad contested the election from jail and still won all 5 different constituencies he contested from in 1991.

Ershad was convicted in two charges till date, while all others were dismissed and thrown out of court.

However Ershad was convicted on a separate charge eleven years after his original arrest.

The Justice in his 91-page verdict said Gen Ershad was found guilty under the Prevention Act.

Ershad was released on bail, on April 9, 2001 after serving four months in jail in Dhaka.

His eldest son Shad Ershad ran into legal complications when he was arrested for allegedly abducting a 14-year-old girl, later the girl's father has been quoted as saying she is mentally unstable.

Ershad claimed that this was a false accusation, made to discredit his party.

H M Ershad divorced her for allegedly hiding her first marriage which still was not annulled at the time of their marriage.

His wife and former first lady of Bangladesh Mrs. Raushan Ershad was also elected as a Member of Parliament thrice in the elections of 1991, 1996 and 2001.

The participation of Bangladesh Armed Forces in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations initiated by Ershad turned out to be one of the highest source of foreign currency earners today.

Hussain Muhammad Ershad, is the only high profile politician to be convicted of corruption and serve a prison sentence.

He made it possible by Ershad to amend constitution ( 9th amendment ) to be the president next time.

The former Chief of Army Staff & President, Hussain Muhammad Ershad is currently a Member of Parliament & Chairman of Jatiya Party-the second largest party in Bangladesh's Coalition Government known as Grand Alliance ( Mohajote ) as of January 2009.

* Michael Shushil Odhikari ( 1924 – 97 ) was a social worker, former President of Bangladesh Baptist Shongho, and former NGO advisor to the Government of Bangladesh during the presidency of Lieutenant General Hossain Mohammad Ershad

The Awami League emerged as the largest opposition party in parliament in the elections in 1991, following the uprising against Ershad.

Although commonly termed as an autocratic military dictator his popularity remained ; even when in prison awaiting trial, Ershad won the Parliamentary Elections from five different constituencies twice-in the elections of 1991 & 1996.

In the 1991 and 1996 elections, Ershad again won from five different constituencies from jail twice.

After the demolition of the autocratic government of Hossain Mohammad Ershad, he was reelected to the parliament in 1991.

Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed took over the office of President after a popular uprising against President Hussain Mohammad Ershad in 1991 for what constitution of the country had been amended through 11th amendment.

Ershad was in jail from 1991 to 1996.

* December 4 – President of Bangladesh Hussain Muhammad Ershad resigns ; he is replaced by Shahabuddin Ahmed, who becomes interim president.

Throughout the following nine years of military rule by General Ershad the AL participated in some polls but boycotted most, nearly all of them rigged to favor the military.

The Awami league won national election on December 29, 2008 as part of a larger electoral alliance that also included the Jatiya Party led by former military ruler General Ershad as well as some leftist parties.

Ershad remained loyal to Ziaur Rahman, Major General Zia had been appointed Army Chief by President of Bangladesh Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad after the Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's founding leader, on 15 August 1975 as the country headed towards communism banning multiparty rule by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

After the assassination of Ziaur Rahman on 30 May 1981, Lt. Gen. Ershad remained loyal to the government and ordered the army to suppress the coup attempt of Zia's associates led by Major General Abul Manzoor.

The Jatiyo Party led by Ershad won the elections winning a majority in the Jatiyo Sangshad.

Zia's widow Khaleda Zia now led the BNP, which allied itself with the Awami League, led by Mujib's daughter Sheikh Hasina ; Awami League stopped its support to Ershad and resigned from the Parliament in 1987.

Under pressure, Ershad dissolved the parliament on 7 December 1987 but the fresh elections were again boycotted by the opposition.

An intensifying opposition campaign launched by the students ultimately forced Ershad to step down on 6 December 1990.

H M Ershad has been convicted and served time for only one case that has been upheld by the Supreme Court of the nation-Janata Tower Case.

Ershad has been linked by the media on different extra-marital affairs, which were on tabloids and newspapers in the country soon after his downfall which continued till 2006.

He joined 4 Party Alliance at the end of BNP term of 2001-06 after meetings with Tarique and Babar at his ( Ershad ) Residence, which was followed by meeting with Khaleda Zia at her ( Zia ) Cantonment's Mainul Road House.

He was appointed Vice President by President Abdus Sattar in March 1982 but the tenure lasted barely twenty-four hours, because General Hussain Muhammad Ershad took over the reins of administration of the country.

He was removed from power by a coup-d ' etat led by the army chief Hossain Muhammad Ershad on March 24, 1982 and died in Dhaka on October 5, 1985.

Islami Jatiya Oikya Front ( Islamic National United Front ), a political front in Bangladesh, led by Jatiya Party ( Ershad ).

Although he was retained in that post by the new President Abdus Sattar, both Sattar and Rahman were overthrown in a military coup led by army chief Hossain Mohammad Ershad in 1982.