Bangladesh

1971 Independence from Pakistan

Jan 1975 Prime Minister Sheikh Mujib Rahman, of the Awami League (AL), suspends constitution

Aug 1975 Mujib assassinated in military coup by General Zia Rahman, who founds Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)

1981 Rahman assassinated, briefly succeeded by civilian leader

1982 Military coup by General Hussain Ershad

1988 Ershad declares Islam the state religion of Bangladesh

1990 Ershad resigns

1991 BNP government elected, headed by Zia’s widow

1996 AL government elected, headed by Sheikh Hasina (Mujib’s daughter)

2001 BNP’s Begum Zia reelected

Nepal

1959 Hereditary monarchy allows adoption of multi-party constitution

1960 King Mahendra suspends parliament, constitution, and all party politics

1990 King Birendra allows new democratic constitution

1996 Maoist uprising begins

2001 Gyanendra comes to throne after killing of royal family

2002 King Gyanendra dismisses elected government, assumes executive power