Dhaka , Bangladesh ( CNN ) -- The Bangladesh army said Thursday it foiled a military coup plot aimed at toppling the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina . Brig . General Muhammad Masud Razzaq said a group of serving and retired army officers `` with extreme religious views '' was behind the plot . The plot was instigated by Bangladeshis living abroad , Razzaq told reporters . One of the conspirators was `` probably staying in Hong Kong , '' the army spokesman said . An investigation was continuing . Razzaq said two retired officers â€ ” Lt. Col. Ehsan Yusuf and Maj. Zakir â€ ” were arrested . Officials are looking for a retired officer , Maj. Ziaul Haq , he said . Razzaq did not specify when the two officers were arrested . The army said it had evidence that some 16 officers , both retired and serving , were involved in the `` heinous conspiracy . '' Hasina 's party , the Awami League , came to power in 2009 in a landslide victory after a military-backed unelected interim government ruled the country for two years following political violence over polls in January 2007 . Just two months after Hasina took office , 74 people , including 57 army officers serving the paramilitary border force , were killed in a mutiny over pay and perks . Hasina 's government is trying more than 800 border guards on charges of killing , arson and looting during the mutiny . Born as an independent country on December 16 , 1971 , Bangladesh has seen a series of military coups over the years . Hasina 's father , Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , the founding leader of Bangladesh , was assassinated in the country 's first military putsch in 1975 . An army general-turned-president , Ziaur Rahman , was assassinated in another coup in 1981 . Zia 's widow , Khaleda Zia , who served as prime minister for two times , is now the leader of the opposition in parliament . A political ally of Hasina , Gen.Hussain Mohammad Ershad usurped the state power in a bloodless military coup in 1982 and ruled the country until December 1990 , when he was overthrown .
Army in Bangladesh says it foiled military coup . General blames officers with 'extreme ' religious views . The army has been on high alert since the country's president was ousted last month by a group of generals who say they want to restore democracy and end decades of autocratic rule.