In late September 1977, a failed coup-de-ta against the Zia Administration occurred. A group of Japanese Red Army terrorists hijacked Japan Airlines Flight 472 from India armed with weapons and ammunition and forced it to land in Tejgaon International Airport. On 30 September, while the attention of the government was riveted on this crisis situation, due to spreading of panic and disinformation actions went under way in Bogra Cantonment where a revolt broke out. Although the revolt was quickly quelled on the night of 2 October, another revolt started in Dhaka cantonment, led by misinformed airmen of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF). Armed group among this group of army and air force personnel unsuccessfully attacked Zia's residence, captured Dhaka Radio for a short time and killed eleven(11) air force officers and 30 airmen at Tejgaon International Airport, where they were gathered for negotiations with the hijackers. Wing Commander M. Hamidullah Khan BP (BDF Commander Bangladesh Forces Sector 11), then BAF Ground Defence Commander, quickly put down the rebellion within the Air Force, while the government was severely shaken. Chief of Air Staff AVM AG Mahmud reappointed Wing Commander Hamidullah Khan as Provost Marshal of BAF. President Zia immediately appointed Wing Commander Hamidullah Khan as ZMLA (Dhaka) and Director of Martial Law Communications and Control at Tejgaon (present day PM's Office). Government intelligence had failed and President Rahman promptly dismissed the DG-NSI and the DFI chief, Air Cdre Aminul Islam Khan BAF, of 9th GD(P) formerly of Pakistan Air Force, and also the . Hamidullah initiated the transfer of DFI under the ministry of defence from old Bailey Road office to Dhaka Cantonment under direct control of the president. In the aftermath at least 200 soldiers involved in the coup attempt were executed following a military trial, prompting some critics to call Ziaur Rahman "ruthless".