Bangladesh:Gunfight at BDR headquarters

[Al-zakir]

RAB nabs 'mutiny leader'



Dhaka, Mar 3 (bdnews24.com)--The alleged leader of the murderous Feb 25-26 BDR mutiny, Touhidul Alam, and four others were arrested Tuesday in the capital, RAB said.

"Five including DAD Touhid and DAD Abdur Rahim have been arrested in Hajaribagh," commander AK Azad, director of legal and media wing of the elite Rapid Action Battalion, told bdnews24.com. Rahim was earlier identified as a sepoy.

"It was a joint operation of the RAB intelligence wing and local RAB 2, based on information from another intelligence agency," RAB later said in a statement.

"They were arrested in a residential area near the Methorpatti (sweepers' colony) in Hajaribagh at 5:30pm," the statement said.

The other three arrested were not among those named in the case filed on Feb 28.

RAB gave the three names as Habilder Azad Ali, Nayek Md Feroz Ahmed and Sepoy Zahir Hossain.

Touhidul Alam, a deputy assistant director, had led a rebel team in negotiations with the government during 33-hour mutiny ending Thursday evening.

Two days later, the government sued him and five others, charging them with treason, murder, arson and looting.

The case, filed by the Lalbagh police, was registered Saturday night. A magistrate on Sunday took the charges into cognizance.

Over a thousand BDR men were also charged, but the Lalbagh OC Nobojyoti Khisha did not identify them.

At least 62 army officers were dead or missing in the mutiny, according to the army. Civilians and BDR men were also killed.

DAD Touhid led a team of 14 BDR men to talks with the prime minister at her home on the day the border guards rose in rebellion at their headquarters in the capital.

Touhid also led the renegade BDR men in negotiations that followed with the home minister late into the night.

The other four names that Khisha mentioned in his submission were DAD Nasiruddin Khan, DAD Mirza Habibur Rahman, DAD Jalil (one name given), Sepoy Selim.

"More DADs may be involved with the incident," Khisa had said after filing the case.

Khisa said in his court submission the government had information that the rebel border guards were 'instigated by vested quarters to upset the stability of the state and to make unlawful gains'.

Their action amounted to treason, the court was told.

Police attributed the delay in filing the case to time taken 'to analyse the situation, gather information on the events and complete official formalities'.

After the first round of talks with the rebels on Feb 25, prime minister Sheikh Hasina offered a general amnesty to the BDR mutineers, but later said the pardon would not cover those who directly killed, looted or committed such other criminal acts.

The prime minister told parliament Sunday that the BDR revolt was a "completely pre-planned massacre".

:: bdnews24.com ::

 

[Al-zakir]

FROM Engr. Shamim Chowdhury -

Mr. MBI Munshi, you are trying to make your connection with Pakistan Defense Forum very innocent one but it is not. You are not a general member of Pakistan Defense Forum. Pakistan Defiance Forum, which runs by ISI, puts your membership as SENIOR MEMBER. Your involvement and contribution been awarded with the title of a Brigadier Geeral. Why Mr. Munshi? What you have done so good to defend Pakistan defense and its intelligence unit ISI to award you with prestigious rank of Brigadier?

I truly think your contribution on defending Pakistan is extraordinary (LA JAWAB). In less then two years with this forum from March 8th of 2007 your contributed Total Posts stands to 2,364 (TWO THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR), (MURHABA ZANAB) One can easily understand how much you care defending Pakistan and defaming its enemies which off course includes Bangladesh.

Your enlistment with Pakistan Defense will go into its second anniversary in SIX more days (March 8th of 2007 to March 8th of 2009). What will be your rank? Are they going to give you the rank of Major General or you will get double promotion and become Lieutenant General for your tireless contribution defend Pakistan defense?

Wow really. Is it that easy to become ISI agent? I am available any time....

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Wow really. Is it that easy to become ISI agent? I am available any time....

Indians have become nervous with fingers being pointed at them so they make wild and personal allegations. I think the BD government should produce a dossier and seek the extradition of suspects in India including RAW operatives.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

5000 BDR jawans report for duty

Nearly 5000 BDR jawans who fled the capital's BDR headquarters during or after the BDR mutiny have reported back until yesterday evening, an army official said.

As of 5:00 pm yesterday nearly 5000 BDR members, both in uniform and plain clothes, have reported back so far, an on duty major said.

After reporting at the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters, most of the BDR men, except suspected BDR mutineers, have been ordered to go on leave, he said.

The border guard personnel, waiting to report back at Dhanmondi's Abahani field, were being shifted to the BDR headquarters from yesterday morning to dusk.

Hundreds of the paramilitary border guard members had crowded to report back to the headquarters since Sunday after the government Saturday ordered them to return to duty within 24 hours. The reporting resumed Monday morning after it postponed at 9pm Sunday.

Thousands of family members and relatives of the BDR personnel yesterday crowded at the main gate of the headquarters with fear of what would be happened to their nearer and dearer ones.

ASP Abdul Kahhar Akand of Criminal Investigation Department said they had collected evidences of the bloody BDR mutiny that left 73 dead including army officers deputed in BDR and were trying to collect more.

He, however, refused to give more detailed information on the progress up of the investigation of the massacre.

The New Nation - Internet Edition

 

[BanglaBhoot]

The role of the media in national crises

How the media can "play" with a situation and affect its outcomes has been starkly brought out during the BDR massacres of 25/26 February 2009. Initially the media focused entirely on the mutineers, carrying their "message" to the public without in the least bit realizing the implications or looking in depth at the realities behind the utterances of the mutineers. Consider, for example the fact that the media coverage of the mutiny initially brought public opinion in favor of the mutineers and then after the mutiny was over and all the dead bodies were coming out, public opinion went against the mutineers and for the dead and injured Army officers. All that the public got was all that the media got resulting in public mood swings first one way and then entirely the other way. In crisis situations, such public mood swings can be dangerous because the public might stymie any attempts of the government to mitigate the situation, if the public does not see eye-to-eye with the government. This brings to the fore the greater question of the responsibility of the media in public life, particularly in crises situations.

There is little doubt, that the print media in Bangladesh has played a very crucial role in public life for well over half-a-century. To a very large extent the success of our movement to nation-statehood, starting from the language movement to the liberation war and beyond, can be attributed to the print media. This long experience in getting news to the public and moulding their opinions, has provided the print media with some sort of written and unwritten "ethics" and codes of conduct which permits objectivity and balance in providing news coverage and shaping public opinion behind issues of "national" and common interest. Over the last one decade, however, the print media has become "big business" purely engaged in hedonistic search for the 5 Ps of profit, propaganda, political influence, prestige with public service coming at the last, if at all. This has destroyed whatever principals and ethics that the media subscribed to or believed in.
The case for the electronic media, which came up like mushrooms within the last one decade, is even worse with every TV camera looking for sensational "breaking news" - objectivity, ethics, principles and public service and interests be damned - all in search for profits and political influence.
This being the case public trust and confidence in the media has eroded to such an extent that nobody is ready to believe anything that the media says, projects or broadcasts. Infact, in many respects, the "public" feels not only confused but also harassed and misled by the media. Thus the entire role and responsibility of the media comes into question.

Under the circumstances, the media itself as well as the government must take stock and come to grips of what the media stands for right now and what it ought to stand for. Attempts need to be made to turn the 5 Ps around with public service coming first and all the other Ps of prestige, profit, political influence and propaganda coming in the end.

editorial

 

[Al-zakir]

Indians have become nervous with fingers being pointed at them so they make wild and personal allegations. I think the BD government should produce a dossier and seek the extradition of suspects in India including RAW operatives.

I think time has finally arrive that we should take bold step and declare India as enemy state. No other country desire a weak bd military than India and clearly this so called BDR revolt point all the finger toward Indian involvement. Their main motive was to create massive disorder in the country, take over our security and disable our military.

 

[Al-zakir]

Some questions to think about......

25th February Carnage and Crtical questions

Tuesday March 03 2009 14:26:51 PM BDT

Farid Majumder, Bangladesh


1. Why PM took so much time to take decision? Although she knew about the revolt just within one hour and BDR commander Major-General Shakil Ahmed requested her for help.

2. Why president Zillur Rahman was quiet?

3. Why Nanok is sent to Pilkhana to negotiate? He lived in Agartola for two years and lived under control of BSF.

4. Why not Amu or Tofail or Motia or Shuronjit or other senior respected AL leaders, or ex-BDR generals?

5. Why Army/BDR intelligence failed? Who was responsible for it?

6. Why Indian Army was ready to interfere? Usally it takes minimum six months to ready this type of action. Did they know it before and just waiting f or a call from PM?

7. Did PM threat our army to call Indian army, if Bangladesh army tries to take power and impose martial law removing her government?

8. Why Indian Newspapaers know everything?

9. Why Indian Foreign Ministry in Delhi summoned Bangladesh ambassador for briefing? Are we a sub state of India? Why our foreign minister did not protest it?

10. Why BSF sent SMS to BDR to help?

11. Why Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) Touhidul Alam tried to escape with a car belonging to a ruling party parliament member? Whom belongs this car?

12. Who were the people with red mask within Pilkhana?

13. Who helped the killer to escape from Pilkhana?

14. Who are the people, who took part in a meeting day before? (according to Ershad)

15. Why there is no judge in the investigation committee?

16. Who has most interest to do harm Bangladesh?

17. Who will b e the most beneficiary of this killing?

18. Is it an act of JMB?

19. Is it an act of leftist group?

20. Is it panned by Indian RAW with the help of their agents in Bangladesh?

21. Is it the revenge of 15th August 1975?

http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=250083

 

[Al-zakir]

21. Is it the revenge of 15th August 1975?

Personally I wouldn't be surprise!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Neo]

Pakistan denies involvement in Bangladesh mutiny​

ISLAMABAD (March 03 2009): Pakistan on Monday denied an Indian newspaper report claiming its military intelligence was linked to the bloody mutiny in Dhaka by the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) last week. On Sunday, the Times of India citing unnamed sources, said arrested mutineers had "thrown up the name" of senior Bangladeshi businessman and politician, Salauddin Qadeer Chowdhury - who is close to Pakistan's "military intelligence complex" and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

 

[MastanKhan]

Wow really. Is it that easy to become ISI agent? I am available any time....

Hi,

Who is this guy Engr Shamim---and what was that letter or article about.

 

[ejaz007]

So the site is run by ISI and we all are agents. I didn't even knew I was an ISI agent.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Hi,

Who is this guy Engr Shamim---and what was that letter or article about.

Engr. Shamim is a Bangladeshi expat in the US. He was responding to an article I wrote titled "The BDR Mutiny - revenge for Padua and Boraibari." He was arguing that my claims in the article about an Indian hand in the mutiny could not be believed because I was a member of the Pakistan Defence Forum and therefore an ISI agent.

 

[HK-47]

Smuggling thru' Rajshahi border points goes up
Anwar Ali, Rajshahi

Smuggling through the Rajshahi border points have increased considerably due to laxness of border guards in the last few days, said people in the bordering villages.

Indian drugs including heroin and phensidyl and clothes are entering the country through the borders in huge quantity, they said.

“One has to cross the Padma River twice to go to the Indian border at Char Majardia. There are at least 10 boats at ferry points for carrying smuggled items,” said a villager.

While going to the village at daytime, this correspondent saw some 11 boats at the first ghat (ferry point) on the Padma and 14 boats at the next ghat but only one boat in each ghat was engaged in carrying villagers across the river.

Villagers said smugglers use the other boats only during the night.

Similar picture is available also at other Padma ghats toward the Indian borders including Sonaikandi, Khar Chaka, Bidirpur and Char Asariadaha.

Five BDR men were seen on duty at Char Majardia BDR camp. Asked about the boats, Havildar Daud Hossain said those boats are used during the rainy season. He denied smugglers' activity on the border.

“A section of border guards were always helpful to us. Now anxious about their fate after the incident in Dhaka, many of them are staying inside their camps,” a smuggler told this correspondent during the latter's visit to Godagari.

Mansur Ali, a member of Char Asariadaha union parishad, said Indian villagers with the help of Indian BSF members are taking away crops and grass from Bangladesh fields on Manik Chalk border areas.

“Anti-smuggling operations have almost become ineffective,” he said in a tone of disappointment.

BOP officials at different borders claimed they returned to their duties as before. “Smugglers have no scope to be active as Indian BSF are on high alert following Bangladesh incident”, said a BOP official.

The Daily Star - Details News

Look who's benefiting from all this.Could be possibly be a revenge.But they killed so many BD civilians near the border would they want to do this too?don't forget other parties can also benefit from this massacre even those within the country.

Why BSF sent SMS to BDR to help?

Is there any evidence about this?

Law enforcers in fresh drives destroyed more poppy fields during the last one week.

Poppy fields on 18 bighas of land were destroyed during three separate drives in Shahbazpur union under Shibganj upazila in Chapainawabganj district in last seven days, reports our correspondent.

Earlier law enforcement agencies destroyed poppy fields in villages near Myanmar and Jhenidah borders, and seized poppy plants and seeds in Khulna city.

Narcotics Control Department found the poppy fields in bordering Chapra, Koilabari and Pardilalpur villages in Shibganj upazila under Chapainawabganj district, said Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Shibganj Police Station.

Acting on a tip, officials of narcotics control officials and Shibganj police led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abu Taher Mohammad Masud Rana raided Chapra village on Sunday and destroyed the poppy plants grown on two bighas of land in the village, some 45 kilometre from the district town.

M Hossain of Monakash in Shibganj upazila cultivated poppy on the land taking lease from a villager.

Hossain went into hiding after the poppy field was detected.

The law enforcers raided Koilabari village in the same union and destroyed another poppy field on ten bighas of land Saturday evening.

The team destroyed six bighas of poppy field in Pardilalpur village under Shibganj upazila and arrested Zamirul, 25, Rafiqul, 37, Nasim, 26, Elius, 65, and Rasel Babu, 18, hailing from different villages in Shibganj upazila on February 25.

After taking lease from the villagers, several people cultivated poppy on the lands. Farmers in the neighbourhood remained in the dark about poppy cultivation as the poppy growers told local people that those were oil producing plants, said Tozammel Haque, chairman of Shahbajpur union.

Narcotics Control Department lodged three separate cases with Shibganj Police Station against twelve people in this connection with poppy cultivation in the three places.

Earlier on February 9 and 10, army and BDR personnel aided by paratrooper commandos destroyed poppy fields on large areas in remote Sangu Reserve Forest under Bandarban district near Myanmar border, reports our Bandarban correspondent.

A few criminal groups allegedly force the locals to grow poppy there.

Narcotics Control Department with the help of police, Rapid Action Battalion and BDR on February 21 destroyed a poppy field on five bighas of land at Nepa village under Moheshpur upazila in Jhenidah district, reports our Jhenidah correspondent. An Indian citizen had 'leased' the land to cultivate poppy there.

Narcotics Control officials on February 22 recovered 188 poppy plants and seeds from a nursery in Khulna city, reports our staff correspondent from Khulna.

The Daily Star - Details News

I hope the BDR is back in full action and the reclamation of border lands goes on.

 

[MastanKhan]

So the site is run by ISI and we all are agents. I didn't even knew I was an ISI agent.

Hi Ejaz,

See what happens when you sign up without reading the fine print.

And where is WEBBY---look here now---you make generals and colonels out of us ordinary people and see what people think of that---lands some of us in serious trouble---

and Mr Munshi---ignorance is a bliss---but you have to be careful of what the ignorant say about you---because we are unable to understand their perverted reasoning.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Bangladesh mutiny: India moves more troops to WB

NEW DELHI: India has airlifted "elements'' of its para-brigade based in Agra to Kalaikunda in West Bengal to deal with any contingency which
arises due to the internal turmoil in Bangladesh.

Sources said over a battalion strength (over 1,000 soldiers) of the 50 Independent Parachute Brigade was moved on Sunday from Agra to Kalaikunda, which has a large IAF base.

"Depending on the situation, more could follow. With Bangladesh army progressively taking over from the paramilitary BDR in posts along the Indo-Bangladesh border, it's a precautionary move,'' said a source.

With India keen on securing Bangladesh's firm cooperation in rooting out anti-Indian terror and insurgent outfits operating from its soil, the armies from the two countries recently came together to hold their first-ever counter-terrorism exercise in February-March.

Over the last couple of years, New Delhi has actively worked towards bolstering ties with Dhaka - which included forging links with Bangladesh Army chief General Moeen U Ahmed, who took over the country's reins in early-2007 - with one of the main objectives being the need for both countries to "resolutely'' tackle terrorism together.

New Delhi wants Dhaka to act decisively against the over 100 suspected terror-training camps and hideouts of North-East insurgent outfits within its borders, apart from a hard crackdown on Harkat-ul-Jihad-Islami (HuJI), which has left its imprints in several terror attacks in India.

Bangladesh mutiny: India moves more troops to WB-India-The Times of India