Dizdarević was born into a Bosniak Muslim family in 1926,[1] but became and remained an atheist after entering school.

[2] After the war, as a member of the Communist Party, Dizdarević was elevated into high political functions.

During Dizdarević's time as head of state, Yugoslavia had a foreign debt of over US$21 billion and an annual inflation rate of 217 percent.

[4] In March 1989, Dizdarević had to cancel a foreign trip to Brazil, Uruguay and Senegal amid unrest in the Albanian-majority province of Kosovo.

He published a memoir book Od smrti Tita do smrti Jugoslavije ("From the death of Tito to the death of Yugoslavia", ISBN 978-9958-10275-2) and a book of memories on events and personalities Vrijeme koje se pamti' ("Times to be remembered", ISBN 9958-703-81-5).