a role for the army in the administration for which he advocated constitutional changes. The armed forces' backing for BNP, with whose support the army expected to achieve this, was not denied. According to Lt General Ershad, the army chief of staff* "failure of RNP government .,. would help the Awami League and lead the country towards political turbulence". Indeed,. the two factors which have helped the army to strengthen its role in the BNP and the administration