Dismissed BDR members want their jobs back

Members of the erstwhile Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), who were dismissed following the 2009 Pilkhana massacre, have called for reinstating their jobs and urged the interim government to ensure punishment for those involved in the "premeditated" conspiracy behind the killings.

The group, organised under the banner "BDR Victims of 64 Districts Unity 2009," voiced their demands during a press conference held on Friday at the Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of the National Press Club in Dhaka.

In 2010, the Awami League government officially renamed the Bangladesh Rifles, a paramilitary force, to Border Guard Bangladesh.

At the press conference, Saeed Ahmed Khan, a member of the then BDR, called for a fair and impartial investigation into the massacre.

He said, "Those responsible for the killings and the conspiracy should face exemplary punishment. Innocent BDR members must be reinstated in their positions with full government benefits."

Saeed also highlighted the plight of those imprisoned under the Explosives Act, many of whom have been imprisoned for over 15 years. "There should be immediate steps to secure bail for these individuals by appointing public prosecutors," he added.

Saeed welcomed the home affairs adviser's recent announcement to form a committee to reinvestigate the Pilkhana massacre, expressing hope that the new government would ensure a thorough probe into the incident.

He recounted the events surrounding the massacre, noting that although no incidents occurred outside Dhaka on 25 February 2009, rumours were spread the following day across various BDR units. These rumours, allegedly part of a premeditated plan, claimed that the army was preparing to attack BDR outposts, causing panic among personnel stationed outside the capital.

Saeed Ahmed khan explained that BDR members were subsequently arrested in large numbers on sedition charges.

"However, when the charges could not be proven, the events were classified as a mutiny, and through Special Courts 1 to 18, members received various prison sentences and fines. These actions, driven by both national and international conspiracies, had led to the destruction of a once-proud and disciplined force," he also said.