Bangladesh border guards go on trial for mutiny

DHAKA - The trial of nearly 800 troopers of Bangladesh rifles (BDR), the country’s border guard, began Tuesday, nearly a year after a mutiny led to the killing of 74 people, including 54 army officers.

The venue of the trial was the Durbar Hall at Pilkhana, the BDR Headquarters, where Feb 25-26 last year, hundreds of troopers had entered an officers’ ongoing meeting and after a brief argument, gunned down many.

Among those killed in the first hail of fire was the then BDR Director General, Major General Shakil Ahmed.

Nearly a year on, his successor, Major General Mohammed Mainul Islam began proceedings at a special court, charging the first batch of 80 detainees with murder, looting, arson, hiding bodies of those killed in mass graves and desertion.

The charge of conspiracy, however, remains unproven, The Daily Star newspaper said Tuesday on its website.

Two probes ordered subsequently have either not touched upon this aspect or found nothing conclusive.

The charge of “conspiracy by vested interests” and by “anti-national quarters”, levelled in the wake of the mutiny by those in the government remains shrouded in mystery, political analysts said.

An estimated 8,000 troopers were present at the headquarters, which was the main scene of the mutiny that spread to other centres, leaving Bangladesh’s 4,300 km border with India and 300 km border with Myanmar virtually unguarded for more than two days.

Bangladesh amended its law to strengthen provisions to cover serious offences after efforts to try the rebels under the military law were opposed by human rights bodies at home and abroad.

The Criminal Investigation Department has prepared an 8,000-page chargesheet accusing around 800 border guards.

They are looking to press charges by Thursday, the first anniversary of the killings, said a CID official who would not go on record.

“We are working to turn in the investigation report, if possible, on Feb 25,” he told The Daily Star.

Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder said: “The investigation is almost complete. The chargesheet will be submitted very soon.”

The newspaper said this is the largest number of people charged with a serious crime since the country became free in 1971.

Smaller trials have taken place at different centres.

So far, 2,163 of them have been arrested in connection with the carnage. Some died in detention.

The CID has also arrested 32 civilians including former opposition lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, Awami League leader Torab Ali and BVangladesh Nationalist Party leader Suraiya Begum.

Of those detained, 2,168 were placed on remand of various lengths, and 522 of them gave confessional statements under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Nine others gave deposition to magistrates as witnesses.

Later, 225 BDR troopers appealed to courts for retraction of their confessional statements.