'I had no stories of my father to tell': Daughter's 16-yr wait ends with BDR member's release
She had visited the prison premises several times before, but this time was different – her father, former Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) member Dulal Mia, was being released after 16 years in prison
Sixteen-year-old Tahsin Akter stood at the main gate of Kashimpur Central Jail at 11am on Thursday (23 January), holding a bouquet of flowers, his face filled with excitement.
She had visited the prison premises several times before, but this time was different – her father, former Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) member Dulal Mia, was being released after 16 years in prison.
Tahsin was only eight months old when her father was arrested following the BDR mutiny at Pilkhana in 2009.
Now a tenth grader, she reflected on her childhood, saying, "My classmates used to share stories about their fathers, but I had no stories of my father to tell. I have no memories of my father. Since I became aware of things, he has been in prison – it's as if he was alive but absent from my life."
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Expressing his joy, she added, "I'm so happy now because my father is finally being released. We are grateful to the interim government."
In the morning, family members of other BDR personnel, like Tahsin, gathered outside the jail, many holding flower bouquets to welcome their loved ones.
Rehana Begum, a resident of Dhaka's Hazaribagh, said, "My husband was a member of the BDR and had been unjustly imprisoned for years. Today, we will finally have him back. I have been waiting here with my children since morning."
At 1pm, the BDR members started coming out of the prison, one by one.
Emotional scenes unfolded as family members broke into tears after reuniting with their loved ones after 16 long years.
"When I left home for the last time, both my parents were alive. Now, after 16 years, I'm returning, but they are no longer with us"
"Justice for BDR", a platform comprising family members of the imprisoned BDR personnel, had been campaigning for their release for years.
Juel Aziz, the son of Nayek Shamsul Alam – who died in prison in 2018 – served as the spokesperson for the platform.
Speaking to The Business Standard, Juel said, "Today marks a partial victory for our movement as some BDR members have been released. However, many innocent members are still in prison under false charges, despite not being in Dhaka on the day of the incident."
Reflecting on the moment, he became emotional and said, "Watching the uncles embrace their family members at the prison gate, I couldn't help but think – if my father were alive, he might have hugged me like that too."
Among those released, Md Enamul, a former sepoy of Mymensingh 45 Battalion said, "We were innocent, yet the fascist Hasina government imprisoned us with false charges. We demand reinstatement to our jobs with full benefits and justice against the real culprits."
"Now that I have been released, I urge the government to reinstate us, as we have been proven innocent"
Abu Hasan, an ex-sepoy from Dhaka Sadar Battalion, recounted his ordeal, saying, "At the time of the mutiny, I had only been in service for six months. I didn't even know the five gates of Pilkhana, yet I was made an accused. The senior officers we respected like fathers – now, we stand accused of their murders. We've spent 16 years behind bars for crimes we didn't commit. Our demand to the government is to restore our lost honour."
Confirming the release, Md Jannatul Farhad, assistant inspector general (media) of the Department of Prisons, told TBS, "A total of 168 people, accused in an explosives case related to the 2009 BDR mutiny, have been released on bail from various units of Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur."
The mutiny and its aftermath
On 25 and 26 February 2009, a mutiny at the headquarters of the border security force in Dhaka's Pilkhana resulted in the deaths of 74 people, including 57 army officers. Following the incident, two cases were filed – one for murder and another under the Explosives Act.
The force was later renamed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
Although some BDR personnel were acquitted or had served their sentences in the murder case, their release was delayed due to the explosives case, which affected 468 individuals.
The trial for the murder case concluded on 5 November 2013, sentencing 152 individuals to death, 160 to life imprisonment, and 256 to various prison terms, while 278 were acquitted.
After the fall of the Hasina government following a student-led uprising, demands for a reinvestigation into the Pilkhana massacre gained momentum.
On 19 December, families of the victims approached the International Crimes Tribunal with their grievances. Subsequently, on 24 December, the government formed a commission led by ALM Fazlur Rahman, granting it 90 days to complete the reinvestigation.
Meanwhile, the families of imprisoned and dismissed BDR members staged protests, including blockades, human chains, and sit-ins, demanding the release of detainees and the reinstatement of their jobs.
More than 200 BDR members secured bail in the explosives case on 20 January.
Back to Tahsin Akter
Tahsin Akter's father, Dulal Mia, spoke to TBS over the phone while travelling to his village home in Homna, Cumilla.
"Sheikh Hasina framed us to cover up her own crimes. We lost the best years of our lives behind bars. Finally, the current government has ensured justice, and I am returning to my daughters," he said.
Recalling his last departure from home, he added, "When I left home for the last time, both my parents were alive. Now, after 16 years, I'm returning, but they are no longer with us."
The dismissal from service also took a financial toll on his family, with his elder brother taking responsibility for the household in his absence.
"Now that I have been released, I urge the government to reinstate us, as we have been proven innocent," he said.
[With inputs from our Gazipur correspondent]
