Dhaka, February 25 (Prothom Alo) – Bangladesh army chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman said that on February 25, 2009, the army lost 57 officers and some of their family members when the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) mutinied.
The army chief made the statement while addressing a commemoration ceremony at Helmet Hall of the RAOWA Club in Dhaka on Tuesday.
He paid tribute to the 57 army officers killed in the 2009 carnage, along with several of their family members
“I was looking at these pictures while travelling here. You have watched these in pictures, but I have witnessed all these in person. I am a witness of all this brutality.”
He clarified that no army personnel were involved in the killings. “Always, we have to keep in mind that no army personnel carried out this brutality. It was entirely carried out by the then BDR members. Full stop. There are no ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’ here.”
The army chief warned that questioning the established trial process, which has been ongoing for 16-17 years, could undermine justice.
“If you drag in ifs and buts, the trial process that continues for 16 years and the convicted who have been in jail for 17 years will be disrupted. We have to keep it in mind very clearly. Do not spoil the trial. Those who have been sentenced are bound to face it,” he said.
External Involvement
Regarding suspected external involvement, General Waker-Uz-Zaman noted that the authorities have formed a commission to find out if any political leadership or foreign forces were involved in the carnage. “The commission chairman is present here. He will find out and inform you.”
He also warned against misinterpretations and attempts to deviate the narrative. “The bottom line is that our fallen soldiers lost their lives in the firing of the BDR men. Some of us have different views and are trying to channel it towards a different direction. It will not be beneficial for us.”
General Waker-Uz-Zaman said, “Today I will give you some advice, if you accept those you will benefit from it. I am assuring you of that. We must not create division among ourselves. We must remain united. If there is any problem, difference of opinions and grievance, we will resolve it through discussion. There will be no benefit by lingering it. There will be no benefit other than causing harm to you. I am assuring you this.”
Regarding of the force members who were punished for various reasons in the past, the army chief said, “Several force members claimed they have received various punishments since 2009. Some event claimed they were punished unreasonably. I have formed a board for it and a lieutenant general is the member of the board, and he brought recommendations on 51 force members to me and I have accepted more than half of his recommendations, I also even went further. Navy and Air Force are also continuing their activities. My standpoint is if anyone commits crimes they will not be spared. I am making it clear to you that it is a disciplined force and let them stay like a discipline force.”
All Organizations have collapsed
General Waker-Uz-Zaman said, “Today, all origanisations have collapsed during this crisis moment of the country. Only the army, the navy and the air force sustain. Why? Because of discipline! Yet, I have ordered my officers that if there is even a slightest of suspicion regarding one’s involvement who has already been convicted, then it will go in their favour. This is my clear order.”
“So, I have received various proposals. I even added my views to several proposals. Likewise officers will come gradually and I will look into their issues. If we see we have something to do for them we will surely do so. We will remain firm on ethics, Inshallah.”
Referring to the audience, the army chief said, “Please, do not mind. Today, I want to speak frankly. You all might not like it, but believe me, if you accept it you be beneficial. There will be no harm… I have no other desire. My only desire is to leave keeping the country and the nation in a better place. I had enough for the last seven-eight months, I had enough. I want to return to the barracks keeping the country and the nation in a better place.”
BDR Mutiny Background/Al Jazeera
The BDR mutineers stole thousands of weapons from the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) paramilitary force before embarking on a killing spree in the barracks in February 2009. The uprising quickly spread, with thousands of soldiers seizing weapons and pledging allegiance to the mutineers.
The army crushed the mutiny, leaving 74 dead, including 57 army officials.
Hundreds of soldiers were handed punishments by special military courts, ranging from death to a few years in prison, with the United Nations criticising the process for failing to meet basic standards.
The violent mutiny sent shockwaves through the South Asian nation. A previous official investigation blamed years of pent-up anger among soldiers, who felt their appeals for pay rises and better treatment were ignored.
But that probe was carried out during the tenure of Sheikh Hasina, who was removed as prime minister by a revolution in August, when she fled to old ally India.
Since her fall, families of soldiers killed in the violence have been campaigning to reopen the investigation. They have repeatedly accused Hasina – then newly elected – of orchestrating a plan to weaken the military to bolster her own power in a country prone to coups.
Protesters have also alleged India’s involvement in that plot. The claims are likely to infuriate New Delhi, which did not immediately respond to the allegations.
“We aim to determine whether any foreign entity was involved in the carnage, as allegations of national and international conspiracy have been raised,” commission chief A L M Fazlur Rahman told reporters on Thursday.
On September 1, 2024 after the fall of Hasina regime, at a discussion titled “Pilkhana Carnage: Hasina and India’s Conspiracy” held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity, speakers accused former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Indian government of orchestrating the 2009 BDR mutiny at the headquarters of the paramilitary force, now known as Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). They demanded a new investigation into the incident and a restoration of the force’s original name, BDR.[citation needed]
Several speakers, including former Bangladesh Army Colonel Abdul Haque, alleged the mutiny was part of a long-term plan involving Awami League leaders and India, aimed at destabilizing the country. Colonel Haque alleged that he was sacked for raising concerns about the incident. Kabir Hossain, the father of a victim, held Sheikh Hasina responsible and called for her punishment. Other speakers, including Islamic scholar Enayetullah Abbasi, echoed similar accusations, suggesting India sought to dominate Bangladesh through the mutiny
Hasina’s iron-fisted rule was allegedly backed by New Delhi, and the 77-year-old remains in India, adding to fraying relations between the two nations. On Monday, Dhaka said it had requested India send Hasina back to face charges of “massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity”.
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