NEW DELHI: Khondker Mushtaq Ahmed, who assumed power in a pre-dawn coup that overthrew President Mujibur Rahman’s Gov­ernment, tonight [Aug 15] inducted a 16-member civilian Cabinet to administer the troub­led country. Radio Bangladesh … said that Shei­­kh Mujibur Rahman, 55, had been killed. Two of his nephews and Prime Minister Man­soor Ali also lost their lives, according to rep­orts received in New Delhi, but no confirmation was available. … …[I]n a 10-minute radio broadcast, Khondker Mushtaq Ahmed said that golden gate to progress had been opened by the coup that overthrew Sheikh Mujib.

[As per a report from Rawalpindi,] Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, on behalf of the Government and the people of Pakistan, has decided to accord immediate recognition to the Islamic Republic of Bangladesh, an official spokesman said… . The spokesman said the decision of the Prime Minister makes the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan the first to recognise the Islamic Republic of Bangladesh. … …[PM] Bhutto … said: “As a first and spontaneous gesture to the fraternal people of Bangladesh, I have decided to immediately dispatch … as a gift … from Pakistan 50,000 tons of rice.”

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2025