The Bangladesh military says it has foiled a bid by mutinous officers to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Brig. Gen. Muhammad Masud Razzaq told reporters at a news briefing Thursday that the military has specific evidence that a group of up to 16 hardline Islamic military officers — including at least two retired officers — were planning to remove the democratically elected government in a coup.

He calls their plans a "heinous conspiracy."

He says two retired officers have been arrested.