During his tenure Ershad pursued devolution reforms , privatization of nationalised industries ; the expansion of the national highway system ; and the founding of SAARC ; he committed his nation 's forces as an ally to the United States in the Gulf War . He contributed to developments in infrastructure and socio-economic growth , divesting key nationalised industries . He restored the chain of command in the Bangladesh Armed Forces after the turmoil following the Mujib assassination . In 1989 , Ershad pushed parliament to make Islam the state religion , in a sharp departure from Bangladesh 's original secular constitution
Mujib assassination
Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Hussain Muhammad Ershad