Hussain Muhammad Ershad, former chief martial law administrator and president of Bangladesh, died on Sunday due to old age complications. He ruled the republic in these two avatars for nearly nine years. He was 89. In the checkered political spectrum of Bangladesh, he has been a pivotal figure, both while in power and outside of it. H M Ershad’s political maneuverings have overshadowed his past as a leading military figure in the country. He was the head of the army in 1978 and after the assassination of President  Ziaur Rahman he took over, overthrowing President Abdus Sattar.

During his tenure as president of Bangladesh, he made Friday the weekly holiday, made Islam the state religion and carried out some notable development works. After he stepped down from power in December 1990, another innings of the man began – this time as an astute politician. As Bangladesh made its forays into parliamentary democracy after a long time in the early 1990s, Ershad became the crucial pawn in a bigger political chess game. His Jatiya Party, launched in 1986, was eagerly sought after by bigger parties to secure their ascendancy. Ershad played his cards with acumen to ensure his constant presence in the political scene. He won as many as 35 seats in the 1991 general elections. In the last election, Jatiya Party became the main opposition party with Ershad as the head and, he had vowed from the beginning to carry out constructive criticism of the government.

An avid sports lover, during his time as president, football in Bangladesh enjoyed supremacy and he also hosted top leaders of the world, including Queen Elizabeth in 1983. H M Ershad had many follies and foibles but on the day of his death we would like to stress that he remained relevant in Bangladesh politics till the end.

He also facilitated the participation of the army in UN peace keeping operations in 1988. Today, Bangladesh is one of the major contributors to the UN operations around the globe, making the country proud. Ershad also won the UN population award in 1987 and was known for writing poems and songs. An integral figure in the ever evolving political sphere of Bangladesh, he had always been a key player and today he is no more. All human beings are destined to die.