Abu Taher BU (Bengali: আবু তাহের; 14 November 1938 – 21 July 1976) was a Bangladeshi military officer and war hero.

After a week screening at Dehradun, India, Taher reported to Kolkata, Bangladesh Provincial government at 8 Theatre Rd.

[6][7] After freeing Ziaur Rahman and reinstating him as army chief,[6] many personnel including Taher was found guilty of high treason and murder and executed.

After the completion of higher secondary school from Murari Chand College in Sylhet, Taher joined the Pakistan Army in September 1960 as an officer candidate.

[5] After two weeks under Indian intelligence screening and debriefing, he was sent to Bangladesh Armed Forces (BDF) HQ at 8 Theatre Road, Calcutta and subsequently posted to Sector 11.

Taher became the head of its armed wing, the Gonobahini and led a violent insurgency campaign against the government of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Abu Taher welcomed the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 15 August 1975, remarking, They've made a big mistake.

[18] On the morning of the coup, Taher received several phone calls, urging him to go to Bangladesh Betar, the government radio station.

[17] After the 15 August coup, the chain of command in the Bangladesh Army was disrupted, as the majors involved in Sheikh Mujib's assassination 'began acting like generals'.

As a result, Khaled Mosharraf launched the 3 November coup, ousting Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad and placing Zia under house arrest.

[18] Every night between 4 and 6 November, secret meetings of enlisted men and non-commissioned officers were held under Taher's leadership.

These troops belonged to Biplobi Shainik Sangstha (Revolutionary Soldier's Organisation), which was a 'socialist and egalitarian' group which clandestinely existed within the Bangladesh Army.

The coup was launched during the early hours of 7 November in Dhaka Cantonment and soon spread to other areas, including Rangpur and Chittagong.

Ziaur Rahman was freed from house arrest by soldiers and taken to the headquarters of the 2nd Field Artillery regiment, where he met Taher.

[21][22][23] On 22 March 2011, the High Court overturned the previous judgement that authorised Taher's execution by a military tribunal while the nation was under martial law.