[🇧🇩] BDR Mutiny---An Irreparable Damage to Bangladesh's First Line of Defense

[Saif]

BDR CARNAGE: Commission records statements of 37 people in 41 working days

The National Independent Investigation Commission formed to investigate the 2009 BDR carnage said on Thursday that the commission had taken statements of 37 people in its 41 working days...

www.newagebd.net

BDR CARNAGE: Commission records statements of 37 people in 41 working days
Staff Correspondent 20 February, 2025, 15:23

The National Independent Investigation Commission for investigating into 2009 BDR carnage hold a press conference in Dhaka on Thursday. | New Age photo.

The National Independent Investigation Commission formed to investigate the 2009 BDR carnage said on Thursday that the commission had taken statements of 37 people in its 41 working days.

The commission was formed on December 24, 2024 and it was asked to complete the investigation by 90 working days.

The witnesses are mostly former army officers, including three lieutenant generals, two major generals, five brigadier generals, four colonels, four lieutenant colonels, seven majors and two captains, seven erstwhile Bangladesh Rifles members and three members from slain officers’ families, said the commission’s president retired Major General ALM Fazlur Rahman at a press conference in the capital Dhaka.

‘Of the army officers, some are serving and most of the others are former officers,’ said the commission president.

Fazlur said that they were prioritising survivors, armed forces command, Rapid Action Battalion and police officials concerned, members of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence and National Security Intelligence, persons who were entrusted with command responsibility, persons who created obstacle to military operation, ministries concerned, political and foreign involvement and the violation of the Army Act.

‘Many witnesses and those who were involved in the incident are either dead, or fugitive or staying in foreign countries. It will cause a delay in collecting such witnesses’ statements,’ said Fazlur, adding that many witnesses could not be able to recall time, date and many issues of the incident.

He said that the commission had requested the authorities concerned to ban several people from travelling abroad.

Fazlur also said that the commission decided to contact with some foreign embassies and had already sent a letter to the foreign ministry in this connection.

He said that the commission had opened a web site, bdr-commission.org, and anyone could give information through the web site.

‘I think that we would need more time as we will not be able to complete our task by the stipulated time,’ he said while responding to a reporter’s question.

At least 74 people, including 57 army officers, were killed in the BDR carnage that took place in February 25-26, 2009.

On January 23, a total of 178 former members of the then BDR were released from different jails on bail in an explosive case linked to the 2009 BDR mutiny amid protest by the victim families and students.

On January 29, survivors and families of the victims of the BDR carnage at a press conference in Dhaka said that it would be unjust if all imprisoned and death row convicts were released on a wholesale basis, as they thought that all BDR soldiers were not innocent.​

 

[Saif]

বিডিআর বিদ্রোহ: শেখ হাসিনা ও মঈন ইউকে জিজ্ঞাসাবাদ করবে তদন্ত কমিশন

 

[Saif]

পিলখানার ঘটনা উদঘাটনে ৩৭ জনের সাক্ষ্য নেয়া হয়েছে: তদন্ত কমিশন

 

[Saif]

25 February declared ‘National Martyred Army Day’

The government has declared 25 February as the National Martyred Army Day, a Cabinet Division a notification issued in this regard Sunday, says this

en.prothomalo.com

25 February declared ‘National Martyred Army Day’
Staff Correspondent
Dhaka
Published: 23 Feb 2025, 17: 17

25 February declared ‘National Martyred Army Day’

The government has declared 25 February as the Jatiya Shaheed Sena Dibos (National Martyred Army Day). The Cabinet Division issued a notification in this regard today, Sunday.

Law adviser Asif Nazrul shared the notification on his verified Facebook page.

The notification, signed by deputy secretary Tania Afroz, says the government has declared 25 February as the National Martyred Army Day. The day will be observed as a ‘category C’ day, it added.

The notification requested all relevant ministries, directorates and agencies to observe the day in a proper manner.​

 

[Bilal9]

Probe commission chief assures of thorough probe into BDR tragedy

Major General (retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman, the Chairman of the newly-formed National Independent Investigation Commission to reinvestigate the mutiny at the then BDR headquarters at Pilkhana on February 25 to 26, 2009, has assured of a thorough probe into the matter. "We're committed to investigating

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Probe commission chief assures of thorough probe into BDR tragedy
BSS
Published :
Dec 26, 2024 20:59
Updated :
Dec 26, 2024 20:59

View attachment 12236

Major General (retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman, the Chairman of the newly-formed National Independent Investigation Commission to reinvestigate the mutiny at the then BDR headquarters at Pilkhana on February 25 to 26, 2009, has assured of a thorough probe into the matter.

"We're committed to investigating thoroughly into the tragedy as it is a national issue," he said while speaking to journalists after coming out of the commission's maiden meeting at the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) Headquarters in Dhaka on Thursday.

The commission chief said they would use their intellect and work with devotion to complete the re-investigation within the given period.

He said they are also pledge-bound to address the plights of those affected by the mutiny.

The commission, which was formed on December 24, has been given 90 days to reinvestigate the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR-now BGB) carnage that left 74 people, including 57 army officials, dead.

It has been entrusted with the primary task of unearthing both local and foreign conspiracies surrounding the deadly incident.

The commission, which has been given a three-month timeframe, will adopt an impartial approach, striving to conduct the investigation without any external influence.

Six other members are: Maj Gen Md Jahangir Alam Talukder (Retd), Brigadier General Md Saidur Rahman, Bir Pratik, (Retd), retired joint secretary Munsi Alauddin Al Azad, retired DIG Dr M Akbar Ali, Md Shariful Islam, Associate Professor of Political Science Department of Dhaka University, Md Shahnewaz Khan Chandan, assistant professor of the Institute of Education and Research of Jagannath University.​

Making Major General (retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman, the Chairman of the newly-formed National Independent Investigation Commission to reinvestigate the mutiny at the then BDR headquarters at Pilkhana on February 25 to 26, 2009 is the best decision the interim govt. had taken. He is easily the best person for the job.

This was long overdue and the local and foreign agent culprits will now be identified as being activated (scheme hatched) by the large neighbor country - which is a foregone conclusion. But lets wait for the investigation to look for and uncover evidence.

This neighbor's Chanakya "ku-kirti" (mal exploits) will need to be unmasked and a befitting answer given at the most opportune time. With enough force so that they NEVER attempt cowardly stuff like this again.

 

[Saif]

Making Major General (retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman, the Chairman of the newly-formed National Independent Investigation Commission to reinvestigate the mutiny at the then BDR headquarters at Pilkhana on February 25 to 26, 2009 is the best decision the interim govt. had taken. He is easily the best person for the job.

This was long overdue and the local and foreign agent culprits will now be identified as being activated (scheme hatched) by the large neighbor country - which is a foregone conclusion. But lets wait for the investigation to look for and uncover evidence.

This neighbor's Chanakya "ku-kirti" (mal exploits) will need to be unmasked and a befitting answer given at the most opportune time. With enough force so that they NEVER attempt cowardly stuff like this again.

Even if the government finds Indian and Hasina's involvement in the BDR massacre, what action could they take against the culprits? We are militarily weak and politically divided. The culprits are too powerful to be brought to justice by Bangladesh.

 

[Saif]

16 YEARS OF BDR CARNAGE: Voices for justice get louder after Hasina fall

Voices for justice over the killings of 74 people, including 57 army officers, in the then Bangladesh Rifles headquarters at the capital’s Pilkhana during the 2009 BDR mutiny have been getting louder since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime on August 5, 2024 amid a mass uprising.

www.newagebd.net

16 YEARS OF BDR CARNAGE: Voices for justice get louder after Hasina fall
Tanzil Rahaman 25 February, 2025, 00:09

File photo

Voices for justice over the killings of 74 people, including 57 army officers, in the then Bangladesh Rifles headquarters at the capital’s Pilkhana during the 2009 BDR mutiny have been getting louder since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime on August 5, 2024 amid a mass uprising.

Besides the families of slain officers, survivors, sacked BDR members and their families and a group of students who led the 2024 July-August mass uprising also took to the streets to raise voices demanding justice.

The BDR mutiny was held in February 25-26, 2009, less than two months after the December 29, 2008 national election through which the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League came to power. The 16th anniversary of the BDR mutiny is going to be observed today.

The protests from slain army officers’ families and student leaders forced the interim government to form the National Independent Investigation Commission on December 24, 2024 to investigate the BDR mutiny and identify the local and foreign conspiracy behind the carnage.

The government on February 23, just two days before the BDR mutiny day, also declared February 25 ‘Jatiya Shaheed Sena Dibash’.

To mark the mutiny day, victim families will offer prayers at the Military Graveyard at Banani at 9:00am today, Retired Armed Forces Officers› Welfare Association, Bangladesh will organise a photo exhibition on the mutiny at 11:00am.

A prayer session will also be organised at Mirpur DOHS central mosque after maghrib prayers.

Tasnuva Maha, wife of slain major Tanvir Haider Noor, talking to New Age on Monday, alleged that many high officials, who were then in command responsibility, were responsible for the incident and they were promoted even to general rank during the Awami League regime.

‘Now, we fear whether we would get justice,’ she said.

‘We hope that the newly formed commission will investigate and find out the plots and plotters of the killings,’ she said.

Tansuva claimed that most of the then BDR members were involved in the killings of the officers, burying them in mass graves and setting fire to their bodies.

Sacked BDR members and a group of leaders of the Students Against Discrimination, on the other hand, have been demanding justice over the BDR mutiny, the release of BDR members now in jail, and the reinstatement of their jobs or proper compensation for them.

Several cases were lodged over the mutiny after the incident.

The murder case is now pending before the Appellate Division, the case under the Explosive Substance Act is now pending before a special tribunal in Dhaka and the other cases were lodged under the Bangladesh Rifles Order, 1972.

A good number of BDR members were punished after summary trial in the cases under the order.

Slain Colonel Quadrat Elahi Rahman Shafique›s son Saquib Rahman said that they had no objection about allowing bail for BDR members acquitted in the murder case and still in jail for 16 years in the case filed under the Explosive Substance Act as it was a judicial matter.

Referring to the summary trial, Saquib said that the maximum punishment for an offender in the trial was seven years’ imprisonment and most of them were now released from jails and protesting demanding reinstatement of jobs.

‘The death row convicts and life term recipients in the murder case should not be released without following the law appropriately amid street protests as all BDR members were not innocent,’ he said.

He said that Sheikh Hasina and a neighbouring country might have involvement in the carnage but it was committed by Bangladeshi people.

On December 19, 2024, the families of 22 slain army officers filed a complaint with the International Crimes Tribunal chief prosecutor accusing deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her defence adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former army chief Moeen U Ahmed and 55 others of crimes against humanity and genocide for their suspected involvement in the mutiny.

The National Independent Investigation Commission on February 20 said that the commission had recorded statements of 37 people, mostly former army officers, in its 41 working days.

The commission president Major General (retired) ALM Fazlur Rahman said that the statements of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former Army chief Moeen U Ahmed were also required in the investigation to know their roles as they were the head of the government and the then Army chief respectively.

‘We have to record the statement of Moeen U Ahmed to know the reason for his failure to conduct Army operations during the carnage,’ he said.

Slain colonel Quadrat Elahi Rahman›s son Saquib said that the ICT investigation would reveal the role of the Awami League leaders in the carnage.

Neither the home adviser, Lieutenant General (retired) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, nor the home affairs ministry’s senior secretary, Nasimul Gani, could be reached over the phone for comments despite several attempts.

On January 10, the hearing in the case under the Explosive Substances Act was deferred till January 19 as the makeshift courtroom at Government Alia Madrassah was set on fire on January 9, escalating tensions over the trial.

178 ex-BDR members were released from different jails on bail in the case on January 23, four days after the Dhaka Metropolitan Special Tribunal had granted their petition seeking bail in the case under the Explosive Substances Act.

The tribunal, amid street protests by the families of ex-BDR members and students, allowed their petition.

On February 12, sacked BDR members blocked a road near the secretariat in Dhaka, demanding the release of imprisoned BDR members and reinstatement of their jobs and the police used force to disperse them by spraying water.

Student Against Discrimination executive committee member Md Mahin Sarkar and the representatives of the protesters held a meeting with home ministry officials on the day and announced to suspend their programme on assurance from the government to sit with them to discuss their demands.

Their demands include immediate release of all detained BDR members who were acquitted in the murder case and those who completed serving jail terms, the withdrawal of the ‘motivated and farcical’ cases filed under the Explosive Substances Act, the reinstatement of sacked BDR members’ jobs, adequate compensation for all, justice over the killings of 74 people, including 57 army officials and 10 BDR members, and reinstate the Border Guard Bangladesh’s old name, BDR, as BDR was connected to the country’s independence and sovereignty.

The trial in the case under the Explosive Substances Act remained stalled since the disposal of the murder case in 2013.

On November 5, 2013, the trial court sentenced 568 soldiers in the murder case. Of them, 152 were awarded death penalty, 162 were handed life imprisonment, and 256 were sentenced to varying jail terms.

Of the total 850 accused in the murder case, 278, mostly former BDR personnel, were acquitted.

In a two-day judgment delivered in November 26–27, 2017, the High Court upheld the death sentences of 139 soldiers and handed life imprisonment to 185 others. The HC upheld varying jail terms for 200 convicts and acquitted 45 accused of all charges.​

 

[Saif]

BNP to hold prayers on National Martyred Army Day

BNP will hold prayers on Tuesday across the country, including in Dhaka, on the occasion of National Martyred Army Day to remember those killed in the BDR carnage. BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced this one-day programme during a press conference at the party's central

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BNP to hold prayers on National Martyred Army Day
UNB
Published :
Feb 24, 2025 22:53
Updated :
Feb 24, 2025 22:53

BNP will hold prayers on Tuesday across the country, including in Dhaka, on the occasion of National Martyred Army Day to remember those killed in the BDR carnage.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced this one-day programme during a press conference at the party's central office in Nayapaltan on Monday afternoon.

He said, "Every year, on February 25, BNP remembers the martyrs with great respect. This year, the government has announced the observance of National Martyred Army Day. BNP supports the government's declaration to observe this day nationally."

The programme will include paying respect and offering prayers at the Banani Army Graveyard in the morning, followed by a discussion session at 3:30 pm at the Engineers Institution auditorium, Ramna.

Rizvi also mentioned that similar prayer events will be organised in districts and metropolitan areas across the country.

The BNP leader said, "The army investigation report on the BDR rebellion has not been released, but the report from that time clearly indicates that those in power and their international masters might have been involved in this brutal massacre. Many pieces of evidence were destroyed in the process."

"Various conspiracies were carried out to cripple Bangladesh and destroy the strong defence system that had been built in the country. On February 25, 2009, this massacre took place as part of those plots," he added.

BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council member Abdus Salam, Joint Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokon, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, and central leaders Shirin Sultana, Helen Zerin Khan, Munir Hossain, Amirul Islam Khan Alim, and others were present at the press conference.

On Sunday, a circular was issued by the Cabinet Division stating this declaration. It mentioned that February 25 will be observed as National Martyred Army Day every year, but it will not be a public holiday. The day will be classified as a "Category C" holiday. The circular urges relevant ministries, departments, and organisations to implement this decision appropriately.

The February 25-26, 2009, BDR rebellion at the Pilkhana headquarters in Dhaka led to the murder of 57 army officers and a total of 74 deaths. The incident caused an international uproar.​