A freedom fighter in the Bangladesh war of independence, a radical activist, a socialist and an army colonel, Abu Taher was something of a hero in Bangladesh. He lost a leg in one battle and when the war was over he was appointed adjutant-general of the army.

Taher preferred politics to soldiering, but the country’s leaders decided he had gone too far when he organised a socialist uprising in the army in November 1975. He was arrested, tried by a military tribunal and hanged on Wednesday, July 21st. 1976.