May 17, 1981 (Sunday)
- Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned from India after more than five years exile that began after his assassination. More than one million of her supporters turned out to welcome her return, and she urged the nation to work toward restoring democracy. On May 30, President Ziaur Rahman would be assassinated. As leader of the Awami League, Sheikh Hasina would become Prime Minister of Bangladesh in 2009.
- Died: Jeannette Piccard, 86, first woman to be ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church
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