Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy has said Bangladesh’s first military ruler Gen Ziaur Rahman had executed thousands of members of Bangladesh's armed forces through so called 'military tribunals.'

In a Facebook post shared from his verified account, Joy said Zia had done this in order to prolong his unconstitutional and illegal hold on power.

“It should be noted that a majority of those killed were freedom fighters,” Joy said posing a question, “How many members of the armed forces were killed during Zia's illegal rule?

Read: August 21 grenade attack planned in Hawa Bhaban: Joy

He shared a report run by private television channel – Somoy TV and advising people to watch the report.

General Zia, founder of the BNP, became the army chief after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15 in 1975, and eventually the first military ruler of Bangladesh.