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Dig out the real truth behind BDR carnage

Published : Tuesday, 10 September, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 1867
SYEDA NAZNEEN FERDOUSI
In our lives, there are many spells of sadness we go through…..deep wounds in our sepulchral souls that we envelope ourselves in.....tears shed for beloved ones we have lost through the laws of mortality or ruthless attack on our basic worth of ourselves as human beings. But I am sure, nothing compares to the vacuity suffered by the surviving family members at losing the loved ones in the senseless killings at Peelkhana in February 2009. Though referred to by the Government and all institutions under it (at that time), as the "BDR Mutiny",  the surviving family members, term it as "BDR Carnage / Massacre"!  

Brief account of the tragedy: on the morning of 25th February 2009, several hundred disgruntled BDR (now BGB) soldiers took up arms against their Commanding Officers deputed from the Army. At the end of the mutiny on 26th, 74 people had lost their lives including 57 Army officers, 2 wives of Army Officers, a retired Army Officer, 9 BDR soldiers, 3 pedestrians, an Army Soldier and a Police Constable. The mutiny was one of the bloodiest military coups since Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in 1971. We know that a total of 47 Army officers were killed during the 9 month-long War of the Liberation in 1971, while 57 Army officers were brutally killed over a span of "36 hours"!!

A RAB battalion did reach the gates of Pilkhana about 45 minutes after the mutiny started, but did not receive authorization to enter. The Army, in consultation with the Government, sent tanks and personnel to quell the situation. The air force sent in a helicopter which hovered above Pilkhana, ready to respond. However, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, allegedly  forbade them to enter the barracks.

Despite multiple investigations, questions surrounding the motives of the mutineers, why they took such extreme actions, and if that was a pre-planned massacre....all these remain unanswered. The simmering grievances of the paramilitary soldiers and their bread-and-butter issues failed to explain the violent mutiny that broke out and the brutality that accompanied it.

On 5th November 2013 the court had sentenced 150 soldiers of Bangladesh Rifles, (now Border Guard Bangladesh), and two civilians to death, and jailed 161 for life for their involvement. It also gave rigorous imprisonment, ranging from three to 10 years, to 256, mostly BDR soldiers. The 278 other accused were acquitted. 

The trial appeared as a "FARCE" for the families of those killed. It was also widely condemned by International Legal and Human Rights  Organisations. The UN's Human Rights  Commissioner, Navi Pillay said that the trials "failed to meet the most fundamental standards of due process". 

Human Rights Watch (HRW) also noted that there was "clear evidence of torture, or other mistreatment leading to death" of around 60 detainees during interrogation. The Economist (magazine) had put this figure higher than 70! So, how can anyone expect the truth to be revealed?

Despite negations on the "Mutiny" factor from the families of those killed, the Hasina led Government not only gave cold shoulder to all pleas and asks.....it also put an unseen embargo on any discussion about the incident. Every year, it was only the families who observed the anniversary with posts on social media, Doa Mehfil and rerepeated demands for a credible trial. The mainstream media also failed to play a responsible role. In this regard, I should not let it go unsaid, how much compassion the Daily Observer has shown by publishing my Tributes / Op-Eds /Articles in honouring the "Fallen Heroes" of our country on each anniversary.


The autocratic regime of Hasina overlooked the crucial need for COUNSELLING....the survivors, the widows and the children who went through the traumatic phase for 15 long years. They never understood that the wounds of those who were incapable of letting go could still have an effect even after 20 years! Fortunately, most of the widows who were young and alone in those dark days of February, have used the grief as strength to move on, raise their children as better human beings. And they did succeed.....otherwise, the children would not have refrained from any kind of vindictiveness. 

The question is, have they forgotten the gruesome killing of their beloved ones? The answer is, NO!!  Neither have they forgotten nor have they forgiven those involved in the gruesome killings. They are also carrying the deep hurt caused by the assuagement of grief among people from every sector (except families of the victims). They are all human beings, not angels...... and expecting divinity from them 'to forget and forgive' is pure naivety. This whole saga will go down in Bangladesh's history as one of the most infamous ones. It should not therefore, be allowed to be forgotten.

With the end of autocratic rule on 5th August and establishment of an Interim Government on 8th August, a ray of hope started shining. On 2nd September 2024 the Interim Government said it will "soon" start re-investigation and fair trial into the 2009 BDR mutiny.  Home and Agriculture Affairs Advisor to the Interim Government Lt Gen (retd.) M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that as a citizen and a former member of the military, he was committed to ensuring justice for the tragic event. "The proper re-investigation and fair trial process into the BDR carnage will start soon," he told the media.

With freedom of expression in place, the media is now airing/publishing harrowing experiences of the survivors! Even those Army Officers in power during the autocratic regime are sharing their thoughts and regrets for leaving their fellow comrades.....in spite of being disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in their warrior tasks and drills.

These fifteen years have turned all  children of the slain Army Officers into matured young men and women. They are ready to "demand justice"! Many of them are professionally equipped with knowledge of legal procedures…..and they are expressing their rights to know the REAL TRUTH! It is therefore,  imperative to "Dig out Deep" and not only expose the actual cause and motive behind the barbaric incident, but also to make public….all the names of those responsible for the masaccre. 

According to them, it is not logical why a group of paramilitary soldiers would start an armed mutiny and killing spree in a campus surrounded by the general population? They definitely knew that the news would get out quickly, and that they would be vastly outnumbered by the heavy panoply of the Army. How did they failed to realise that their actions would result in serious consequences?

Due to historical reasons, many believe that the military sector is a 'no-go area'. The state security is often used as an excuse for secrecy, resulting in insufficient transparency in defence budgeting and procurement. And this is exactly where the public point their fingers at - 'national security', which according to general public, the security agencies have grossly failed during the BDR carnage. Public reaction to military expenditure is "wasting money on unnecessary systems while failing to meet genuine security needs".

We all have our own grief at losing the Brave Hearts forever, but the nation has the right to know the 'dark force' that tried to destroy our Military Pride, Chain of Command and Moral Ethics. A fair trial  will restore people's trust on justice…..and send out a tough message, "No matter how deep you bury your sins, they will come out ultimately"!

The writer is contributor



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