'Assassin' of B'desh ex-prez Ziaur Rehman held after 45 yrs

Former Bangladesh army Major Muzaffar Hossain, alleged mastermind and assassin of former President Ziaur Rahman, was arrested after 45 years.

Hossain is accused of firing the fatal shots at Ziaur Rahman at the Chittagong Circuit House on May 30, 1981.

The arrest occurred in Dhaka's Banani DOHS area late Wednesday night.

Hossain was handed over to the Bangladesh army to complete pending court martial procedures.

This arrest is a major breakthrough for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's BNP government in pursuing Ziaur Rahman's assassins.