12th anniversary of BDR carnage observed
The nation on Thursday observed the 12th anniversary of the massacre at the Pilkhana headquarters of the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), now Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), which left 74 people, including 57 army officers, dead.
At around 9am on the day, President's Military Secretary Major General SM Salah Uddin Islam placed a floral wreath on behalf of President Abdul Hamid at Banani Military Graveyard. Then the Prime Minister's Military Secretary Major General Nakib Ahmed paid tribute to the martyrs on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, chiefs of the three armed forces – Army Chief General Aziz Ahmed, Acting Navy Chief Rear Admiral M Abu Ashraf and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Masihuzzaman Serniabat – and Director General of the BGB Major General Md Shafeenul Islam also placed wreaths at the graveyard.
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They later observed one minute of silence and prayed for the eternal peace and salvation of the departed souls.
The families of the deceased placed floral wreaths on their graves as well, according to an ISPR press release.
The BGB also organised Quran Khawani, dua, and milad mahfil to mark the day. The BGB flag was hoisted at half-mast at all BGB installations and all BGB members were wearing black badges to mark the day.
On 25 February 2009, several hundred BDR men rose up in an armed revolt at the Darbar Hall of the force's Pilkhana headquarters during the three-day "BDR Week".
The mutiny finally ended the following day with the surrender of firearms, ammunition and grenades through a negotiation between the then government and the BDR rebels.
A total of 58 cases, including one for murder and looting, and the remaining for mutiny were filed in connection with the mutiny. Some 152 people were sentenced to death and 423 others to different jail terms in the killing case.
Besides, 277 accused were acquitted in the country's largest ever killing case.
Among the convicts, 262 mutineers were sentenced to different jail terms ranging from three months to 19 years, and 161 people, including late BNP leader Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and local Awami League leader Torab Ali were jailed for life. On the other hand, 5,926 BDR personnel were sentenced to different jail terms ranging from four months to seven years in 57 mutiny cases.
