In 1982 a coup d'état led by Army Chief Hussain Muhammad Ershad overthrew democratically elected president Abdus Sattar.

Ershad assumed the presidency in December 1983, promising to hold presidential elections in May 1984 and to restore parliamentary government the following year.

Amid increasing opposition from the general public, Ershad aimed to legitimise his regime by holding a referendum in March 1985.

[1] However the result was controversial with a British team of observers terming the elections a "tragedy for democracy" and a "cynically frustrated exercise".

[4] Ershad resigned as Chief of Army Staff on 30 August 1986 and, with the approval of the new parliament, a presidential election was held on 15 October 1986.

However, the election was boycotted by all major opposition party candidates, giving Ershad a landslide victory, amid reports of electoral irregularities.