Major (retd) Md Muzaffar Hossain, who was recently arrested in connection with the 1981 assassination of former president Ziaur Rahman, has been handed over to the Bangladesh Army and is expected to face trial through a general court martial under military law, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said today.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the Border Guard Bangladesh headquarters at Pilkhana in Dhaka, Salahuddin said Muzaffar had remained absconding for decades under a different identity in a neighbouring country after a court of inquiry recommended that he face military proceedings.

Law enforcement agencies arrested him after intelligence agencies learned of his return to Bangladesh, the minister said.

"He was absconding for a long time under a different identity in a neighbouring country. After we came to know about his presence here through intelligence information, we arrested him and handed him over to the Bangladesh Army for trial under military law," Salahuddin said.

The minister said Muzaffar's trial would likely be conducted through a general court martial. Asked whether the government would file a fresh criminal case or investigate others allegedly involved in Zia's assassination, he said the military process should conclude first.

He added that a court of inquiry had previously made findings regarding Muzaffar, and it would now be up to the general court martial to determine their relevance.

Responding to a question on reviving the Zia assassination case, Salahuddin said military personnel are subject to the Armed Forces Act and cannot be tried twice for the same offence under different laws.