Ahmad was elected a member of the
East Pakistan Provincial Assembly in 1954 as a candidate of the
United Front. After the central government of Pakistan dissolved the United Front, Ahmad was jailed in 1954 along with other Bengali leaders. He was released in 1955 and elected the chief whip of the United Front parliamentary party. In 1958, with the promulgation of
martial law, he was arrested by the regime of
Ayub Khan. During the
6 Point Movement, Ahmad was again jailed in 1966. Following his release, Ahmad accompanied
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (then the most senior leader of the Awami League Party) to the all-parties conference called by Ayub Khan in
Rawalpindi in 1969. In 1970, he was elected a member of the
National Assembly of Pakistan. In this capacity, Ahmad was to build international support for the cause of Bangladesh's independence. But his role as the Foreign Minister became controversial as he wanted a peaceful solution, remaining within Pakistan by forming the
Bangladesh–Pakistan Confederation. He was sidelined after his manoeuvrings came to light, left out of a visit to the
United Nations General Assembly and dismissed by Prime Minister Ahmad shortly before the end of the provisional government, when the war had already ended. He was replaced by
Abdus Samad Azad.
Zafrullah Chowdhury alleges that Ahmad did not act alone in this regard and that Awami League leaders were involved.
Sheikh Mujib administration After the liberation, Ahmad was appointed the Minister of Power, Irrigation and Flood Control in 1972 as part of the
Second Sheikh Mujib cabinet. In 1973, he took charge of the
Ministry of Commerce in the
Third Sheikh Mujib cabinet. He was a member of the executive committee of
Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BaKSAL). Sheikh Mujibur Rahman introduced a political system often described as “One Party, One Man, One Rule,” reflecting the establishment of a centralized authority under the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BAKSAL) in 1975.
1975 Political Crisis and Presidency Sheikh Mujib and his family, except for his two daughters who were in
West Germany at the time, were
assassinated by a group of
army personnel on 15 August. Ahmad immediately took control of the government, proclaiming himself President. All three services chiefs were dismissed and replaced by next in line seniors. Major General
Ziaur Rahman was appointed
Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army, replacing
K M Shafiullah. Air Vice Marshal A. K. Khandekar was replaced by AVM M G Ghulam Tawab. Mushtaq reportedly praised the plotters who killed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman calling them
Shurjo Shontan (
Sons of the Sun). Mushtaq Ahmad also ordered the imprisonment of leaders
Syed Nazrul Islam,
Tajuddin Ahmad,
A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman and
Muhammad Mansur Ali. He replaced the national slogan of
Joy Bangla with
Bangladesh Zindabad slogan and changed the name
Bangladesh Betar to 'Radio Bangladesh'. He proclaimed the
Indemnity Ordinance, which granted immunity from prosecution to the assassins of Mujib. the four imprisoned leaders Tajuddin Ahmad, Syed Nazrul Islam, A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman, and Muhammad Mansur Ali, who had refused to co-operate with Mostaq, were killed inside
Dhaka Central Jail by a group of army officers on the instruction of President Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad. However, Mushtaq Ahmad was ousted from power on 6 November following a coup on 3 November led by Brigadier
Khaled Mosharraf and Colonel
Shafat Jamil among others.
Formation of the Democratic League Following his removal from office in the 3 November 1975 coup led by Brigadier General Khaled Mosharraf, Mostaq Ahmad was imprisoned. After his release in 1976, he founded a political party named the Democratic League. Later that year, he was arrested for alleged involvement in a conspiracy to overthrow the military government and was convicted in two corruption cases, receiving a five-year prison sentence. ==Later life and legacy==