1971:Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is arrested following an election win for the Awami League, which West Pakistan refuses to recognise, leading to riots.
On March 26, AL declares East Pakistan's independence from West Pakistan and names the new country Bangladesh
1972:Mujib returns from detention in Pakistan and becomes PM
1975:Mujib assassinated in a military coup, martial law imposed
1979:Martial law lifted, General Ziaur Rahman’s BNP wins
1981:Zia assassinated in an aborted military coup
1982:General Ershad takes power in a military coup, the constitution is suspended
1986:Ershad elected for 5-year-term in general elections
1987:State of emergency declared after opposition protests
1990:Ershad steps down, is jailed for corruption later
1991:Khaleda Zia becomes PM, the constitution is changed to make president’s post ceremonial
1996:Awami League returns to power with Hasina as PM
2001:Hasina becomes first PM to complete 5-year term, loses polls to BNP’s Zia
2004:Parliament amends the constitution to reserve 45 seats for women, Hasina survives grenade attack at an opposition rally that kills 22
2007:January election is suspended by President following violence, Hasina is charged with murder while Zia is put under house arrest
2008:Awami League captures more than 250 of 300 seats in parliament in the December elections
2009:Hasina takes over as PM in January
2012:Key leaders of top Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, charged with war crimes for collaboration with Pakistan in 1971
2013:Dhaka High Court bans Jamaat-e-Islami from participating in elections
2014:BNP boycotts parliamentary election, Hasina returns for a third term in office
2017:A massive Rohingya exodus from Myanmar begins in August, UN says a million given shelter in Bangladesh
2018:Zia sentenced to ten years in jail, banned from contesting the election