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Bangladesh: February Massacre & Operation Rebel Hunt
Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Members of Armed Forces are called by the government, which will come into effect from Monday morning to nab each and every rebel, their instigators and patrons, who were behind the February Massacre, killing more than 135 heroic officers of Bangladesh Army as well as their friends and family members. Experts opine that, Bangladesh Army has complete sympathy and support of the people of Bangladesh in nabbing the culprits. The entire nation is heavy with shock and pain. They want to see trial of the killers and their perpetrators without wasting even a second.
Meanwhile, several days have now passed since the siege laid to the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters was brought to an end and yet, the nation is unable to draw a line under the bloody massacre that was carried out there by a section of murderous troops on February 25 and 26.
To begin with, the nation is yet to learn the full extent of the carnage, given that the whereabouts of many army officers are still unknown. And second, they still do not know why or how this brutal massacre was carried out, who were behind it, and what their motives were. In order to move forward, therefore, the entire nation must not only understand the full extent of the crimes committed and punish those responsible for such barbaric acts, it is also extremely important to find the answers to the many questions that plague the public mind.
Bangladesh while mourns this tragedy, the nation reiterate its demand for justice for those who were slain. The government has a responsibility to thoroughly investigate, properly try and punish those responsible.
With the beginning of Operation Rebel Hunt, several newspapers in Bangladesh have started giving scoops of the crime, while some senseless newspapers are yet engaged in spreading misleading information thus showing sympathy towards the killers.
Bangladeshs influential vernacular daily Manabzamin published a very comprehensive and exclusive report saying investigators are listening to recorded telephonic conversations of various people with the killers during and before the Massacre. The newspaper said, one of the kingpins of the brutality, deputy assistant director of Bangladesh Riffles, Towhids mobile phone call records are already being checked by various intelligence agencies.
Call list of some media members are also being checked as they too had several correspondence and conversations with the killer troops. Manabzamin said, several points are being already under serious investigation by various intelligence agencies. The investigators are mainly putting focus on the following points:
1.After learning about the incident, why the government did not allow army to go into operations,
2.Why time was wasted in the name of political settlement,
3.Why the risk of lives of 168 army officers were not considered with due importance,
4.Some politicians belonging to the ruling party tried to waste time in the name of political settlement. Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mirza Azam and a number of important figures in the ruling party are already in the list of such elements,
5.Why the government waited till 1:00 pm although they knew about the incident sometime before 10:00 am in taking minimum initiatives in resolving the crisis,
6.How the derailed killers were able to give interview to a particular television channel,
7.While none could enter, how media managed to enter and collect anti-army propaganda materials from the culprits,
8.Why the Home Minister did not visit the spot immediately after the incident,
9.What was the topic of conversation between the mutineers and governments delegation Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Mirza Azam,
10.Who took Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Mirza Azam inside the BDR headquarters,
11.How the mutineers were taken in luxurious government vehicles [with black tinted glass] to the Prime Minister,
12.Why the mutineers taken to Prime Minister were not properly dressed [they did not have belt and cap],
13.Why these mutineers were not asked about the whereabouts of the director general before their meeting with the Prime Minister,
14.Why the mutineers gave false information to the Prime Minister such as, the hostages are in safe custody and there are 15,000 mutineer troops inside the BDR headquarters [there is information that the real number of troops inside were not more than five thousand. In this case, investigators are questioning about the identity of the remaining 10,000 people. They are having doubts as to whether these 10,000 were hired goons and culprits from outside in uniform],
15.Who helped the mutineers in escaping,
16.Who seized the power connection at Pilkhana BDR headquarters thus making way for the culprits to flee,
17.Some of the released officers have told that, killers continued to kill the army officers in phases. Many were killed after the declaration of general amnesty and during negotiation with the government,
18.Why the government did not set a pre-condition of giving general amnesty in exchange of release of all the hostages inside the BDR headquarters,
19.How the 14 members of the negotiation team, who went to the Prime Minister were selected. Who selected them,
20.Why the negotiators on behalf of the government never tried to know the whereabouts of the held officers and their family members,
21.Why dead bodies of the killed officers were not demanded prior to any negotiation,
22.The investigators are also investigating a fact that, while massacre was continuing inside the BDR headquarters, one army officer was engaged in sending fax messages to various people in support of mutineers and alleging the director general [Weekly Blitz has investigated this matter and learnt that one officer in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel sent such messages. This officer communicated with a large number of people who are aligned with the ruling party],
23.Wherefrom red and yellow bandanas and masks were taken inside the BDR headquarters,
24.One of the escaped officers gave extensive information on how the incident was taking place. He also claims that he was hidden inside a house. In this case, question is, how he managed to witness the entire happenings in the BDR compound when he was hiding under a bed,
25.This officer also said that, in the room where he was hiding, he was also watching the television and listened to the address of the Prime Minister. Here the investigators are curious to know, how for a man, whose life is in danger can afford to see the television,
26.Another escaped officer [a Major] told in an interview that, he wad hiding above the false ceiling of Darbar Hall. He also described that, during the entire Massacre, he moved from one place to another, thus finally coming back to the ceiling. Question here is how he managed to escape the eyes of thousands of mutineers and killers. Secondly he said, while hiding in the ceiling, he heard someone calling his name in the megaphone. He pepped through the holes of the ceiling and found Mirza Azam there. Here the investigators are curious to know, as to how Mirza Azam was sure about this officers hiding place,
27.The investigators are also trying to understand as to why the Prime Minister was hurriedly shifted from her personal residence to State Guest House in the name of security lacking,
28.A foreign intelligence agency suggested the Prime Minister to shift quickly to the secured State Guest House hurriedly. Investigators are also trying to find out motive behind such message of that foreign intelligence agency,
29.The investigators are also trying to find out as to why any responsible minister of the government did not rush to the spot, where dead bodies of army officers were recovered from a sewage line,
30.State Minister for Law Affairs told reporters much before the surrender of arms that fifty army officers were killed in the Massacre. Wherefrom the State Minister got this figure and if they demanded the dead bodies of these 50 officers.
Meanwhile, Weekly Blitz also found several unresolved question centering this tragic massacre:
1.Prime Minister told the Parliament that director general of Bangladesh Rifles phoned her right after the outbreak of the mutiny and sought her help. She further said, much ahead of this call, between 9:26-9:30 in the morning, the Prime Minister came to know about the mutiny inside BDR headquarters. She called the army chief and asked how long it would take for sending troops. The army chief told her that 90-120 minutes will be required for going into action. She [Prime Minister] asked for sending Air Force Helicopters urgently. The Prime Minister said, Rapid Action Battalion failed to go into action immediately as they were reportedly caught into traffic jam. She said all murders took place between 10-11 am on the first day of the massacre. Many of the officers, who were hiding sent text message saying they and their family members will be murdered if army was sent into action.
Here is my first question! Who are those officers sending text messages asking to stop army actions? And, how the Prime Minister is sure that all the murders took place during 10-11 am? According to statements of a number of escaped officers, murders continued even during the second day of the massacre. Definitely, one party here is giving untrue information. It is important to identify the fact.
2.Former President and army chief, Hussain Muhammed Ershad in an interview to private television channels said, only 20 minutes were required to combat the mutiny by the Bangladesh Army. There is no doubt that, General Ershad has extensive knowledge about the strength of Bangladesh Army. In this case, taking his statement into consideration, there could be a serious question as to why the politicians were interested in wasting time in the name of negotiations instead of military offensives,
3.Former director general of Bangladesh Rifles, Major General [Retired] Fazlur Rahman told reporters that hundreds of army officers were murdered inside BDR headquarters under the garb of mutiny. He said, should the Prime Minister go for quick military actions, lives of many officers would have been saved as well many of their family members would also have been saved from being raped and tortured. Citing example of 1995 mutiny of Ansars, General Rahman said, when only one mutineer Ansar member was shot during offensives, all the remaining mutineers immediately surrendered arms.
Here is again my comment again. From the statements of both the Generals, it is evident that, immediate and very quick army actions would have definitely saved the lives of many of the officers of our Armed Forces. Although the ruling government is trying its best to justify the success through political negotiation, I can well anticipate and apprehend that, some vested interest group was very much inclined in seeing most of the officers inside the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters, murdered.
According to various information, at the first hour of the mutiny, 30-35 officers, including the Director General of Bangladesh Rifles were killed. On Wednesday, after announcement of General Amnesty by the Prime Minister, almost the same number of officers was killed in the second batch. And, during the midnight of Wednesday, remaining officers were killed, one-by-one as per list available with the killers inside the BDR headquarters. Two full magazine bullets were shot in the bodies of each of the murdered officers. Some were even shot through their mouth. Poisoned bayonets were also charged on the dead bodies to confirm the death. Taking the advantage of darkness inside the compound, several mass graves were erected and dead bodies were gradually dumped in at various places inside the BDR quarters. Some dead bodies were also burnt.
Meanwhile, according to reports, Bangladesh government has sought assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, US intelligence agency, for probe into the incident of BDR revolt in Dhaka on Wednesday to bring the culprits to book and unveil the plot behind the massacre.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina sought the FBI help when American assistant secretary of state for the South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher, talked to her over phone on Sunday morning, on behalf of the secretary of state, Hilary Rodham Clinton, extending the US support at this trying time.
Boucher, on behalf of the US government, extended a continued support to the government and people of Bangladesh, and called for national unity as Washington responded to the tragic aftermath of the BDR rebellion.
Over 1,000 BDR soldiers were sued on Sunday for rising up against their officers, from the army, in the Bangladesh Rifles Headquarters in Dhaka in February 2526.
The plaintiff in the first information report named four junior BDR officials deputy assistant directors Tahidul Alam, Nasir Uddin Khan, Mirza Habibur Rahman and Abdul Jalil and soldiers Abdur Rahim and Mohammad Selim to have led the rebellion.
The case has been lodged under 24 sections of the Penal Code accusing the BDR soldiers of hatching a criminal conspiracy, waging or attempting to wage a war against the state, rioting, murder, voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servants from duties, assaulting or using criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duties, committing wrongful confinement, setting fire or using explosive substance with intent to destroy houses, theft after preparations made for causing death, hurt or restraint, and causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offenders. Section 149 of the Penal Code was also applied to the case which stipulates every member of an unlawful assembly will be guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object.
The rebels, who concealed the bodies of the army officers and their relatives, were further accused of hostage taking and attempting to dispose of the bodies of their victims by setting fire, burying them in mass graves and dumping them into sewers, according to the complaint.
Names and designations of 48 army officers have so far been found are:
Major General Shakil Ahmed, Brigadier General Mohammad Abdul Bari, Colonel Nafiz Uddin Ahmed, Colonel Mohammad Mazibul Haque, Colonel Mohammad Anisuzzaman, Colonel Mohammad Mashiur Rahman, Colonel Qudrat Elahi Rahman Shafique, Colonel Mohammad Akhtar Hossain, Colonel Mohammad Rezaul Kabir, Colonel Kazi Emdadul Haque, Colonel BM Zahid Hossain, Colonel Shamsul Arefin Ahmmed, Colonel Mohammad Naqibur Rahaman, Colonel Mohammad Zakir Hossain, Colonel Kazi Moazzem Hossain, Colonel Gulzar Uddin Ahmed, Colonel Mohammad Shawkat Imam, Colonel Mohammad Imdadul Islam, Colonel Mohammad Aftabul Islam, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Badrul Huda, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Enayetul Haque, Lieutenant Colonel Abu Musa Mohammad Ayub Kaiser, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Saiful Islam, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Sajjadur Rahman, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Lutfur Rahman, Lieutenant Colonel Enshad Ibn Amin, Lieutenant Colonel Shamsul Azam, Lieutenant Colonel Lutfar Rahman Khan, Lieutenant Colonel Kazi Rabi Rahman, Major Mohammad Azharul Islam, Major Mohammad Abdus Salam Khan, Major Mohammad Saleh, Major Mahmud Hasan, Major SM Mamunur Rahman, Major Humayun Haider, Major Khalid Hossain, Major Mahmudul Hasan, Major Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Major Mohammad Maksum ul Hakim, Major Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, Major Mohammad Mominul Islam, Major Mushtaq Mahmud, Major Mostafa Asdaduzzaman, Major Kazi Mosaddek Hossain, Captain Mohammad Mazharul Haider and Lieutenant Colonel [Retired] Delwar Hossain.
Major General Shakil Ahmmeds wife Nazneen Shakil and Lieutenant Colonel [Retired] Delwar Hossains wife Roushni Fatema Aktar Lovely were killed in the incident.
According to another press report, a large number of army officers on Sunday [March 1, 2009] expressed their deepest emotions, frustrations, excitement and expectations at a three-hour grand conference with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina discussing the BDR carnage in which the nation lost at least 73 people, including 60 officers.
At the Sena Kunja auditorium of Dhaka Cantonment, around 700 to 800 officers, from the army chief to second lieutenant ranked officers, discussed with the premier from 11:30am 32 points related to the carnage.
Hasina assured the army that each and everyone of the culprits involved in slaying would be traced and tried. She said the investigation would be free and fair and she would not spare anyone, even if someone of her party is found to have links with such a heinous act.
Responding to an idea from the officers, she agreed on forming a special tribunal for trial of the culprits.
Some officers suggested that the army be given the task of "Operation Rebel Hunt" to track and arrest the mutineers efficiently.
Sources present inside the conference say some officers told the premier they were not too happy with the way the BDR mutiny was handled and they thought it could have ended earlier by mobilising the army quickly.
Hasina then asked each of them what they think she should have done, and they came forward with their suggestions. The officers added her speech delivered on Wednesday at 2:00pm, five hours after the carnage began, could have been delivered earlier to calm down the mutineers.
They added the general amnesty declared by the PM to the mutineers to bring the situation under control should have been conditional. She could have said that the amnesty would be given if they did not kill officers.
Some officers suggested that each of the families of the slain officers given a high compensation package of TK 10 Million with a flat or plot. Some others suggested that a more pragmatic approach would be awarding pensions to each of the families of the victims as per the ranks of the officers. This would provide long-term benefit, they said.
As Bangladesh Rifles' [BDR] image and moral have been shattered, it should be restructured, they said, adding BDR may be disbanded and restructured under a new name like "Bangladesh Border Guards".
If sufficient manpower cannot be provided for the new force, it may be formed in line with Rapid Action Battalion as a composite force comprising army, navy, air force and the police. They suggested that the PM make an organogram and make it functional quickly as the border needs to be guarded quickly. The PM agreed saying that the details would be worked out later.
A credible enquiry is needed so that in future other governments cannot question it. It should be participated by different groups of people to ensure neutrality.
The officers also felt aggrieved by anti-army statements made by lawmakers in parliament. "We are a force serving the nation. If a body like parliament blasts a government organ like the army, it damages the whole institution," said an officer to the PM.
The officers also expressed their opinion that the army should be kept out of politics. Neither the Awami League, nor BNP should drag army into politics, they said.
They added transfer and promotion within the army should not be politically interfered with and left for handling professionally.
Meanwhile members of the armed forces are deployed across the country indefinitely to help law enforcement agencies arrest the absconding rebels of Bangladesh Rifles [BDR] and recover the missing firearms and ammunition.
The deployment begins on March 2, 2009 morning in aid of the civil administration under the 'Operation Rebel Hunt' mission, sources said.
The forces will be stationed at district headquarters and carry out operations on the basis of specific information from their intelligence, said sources.
As the Operation Rebel Hunt is already on from Monday morning and members of the Armed Forces are deployed throughout the country, it is expected that in the quickest possible time, killers, perpetrators and the instigators shall be identified and tried with highest punishment. Moreover, it is moral obligation of each and every citizen of Bangladesh to help the investigators with information, which might be useful in the entire investigation process. Nation demands immediate trial of the conspirators and killers of February Massacre. And this is a great testimony for the entire nation to prove to the world that, killers and conspirators, irrespective of their political identity and might, who staged such brutality of highest degree in Bangladesh, shall never be spared.
Weekly Blitz l Most Influential Newspaper in Bangladesh
Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Members of Armed Forces are called by the government, which will come into effect from Monday morning to nab each and every rebel, their instigators and patrons, who were behind the February Massacre, killing more than 135 heroic officers of Bangladesh Army as well as their friends and family members. Experts opine that, Bangladesh Army has complete sympathy and support of the people of Bangladesh in nabbing the culprits. The entire nation is heavy with shock and pain. They want to see trial of the killers and their perpetrators without wasting even a second.
Meanwhile, several days have now passed since the siege laid to the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters was brought to an end and yet, the nation is unable to draw a line under the bloody massacre that was carried out there by a section of murderous troops on February 25 and 26.
To begin with, the nation is yet to learn the full extent of the carnage, given that the whereabouts of many army officers are still unknown. And second, they still do not know why or how this brutal massacre was carried out, who were behind it, and what their motives were. In order to move forward, therefore, the entire nation must not only understand the full extent of the crimes committed and punish those responsible for such barbaric acts, it is also extremely important to find the answers to the many questions that plague the public mind.
Bangladesh while mourns this tragedy, the nation reiterate its demand for justice for those who were slain. The government has a responsibility to thoroughly investigate, properly try and punish those responsible.
With the beginning of Operation Rebel Hunt, several newspapers in Bangladesh have started giving scoops of the crime, while some senseless newspapers are yet engaged in spreading misleading information thus showing sympathy towards the killers.
Bangladeshs influential vernacular daily Manabzamin published a very comprehensive and exclusive report saying investigators are listening to recorded telephonic conversations of various people with the killers during and before the Massacre. The newspaper said, one of the kingpins of the brutality, deputy assistant director of Bangladesh Riffles, Towhids mobile phone call records are already being checked by various intelligence agencies.
Call list of some media members are also being checked as they too had several correspondence and conversations with the killer troops. Manabzamin said, several points are being already under serious investigation by various intelligence agencies. The investigators are mainly putting focus on the following points:
1.After learning about the incident, why the government did not allow army to go into operations,
2.Why time was wasted in the name of political settlement,
3.Why the risk of lives of 168 army officers were not considered with due importance,
4.Some politicians belonging to the ruling party tried to waste time in the name of political settlement. Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mirza Azam and a number of important figures in the ruling party are already in the list of such elements,
5.Why the government waited till 1:00 pm although they knew about the incident sometime before 10:00 am in taking minimum initiatives in resolving the crisis,
6.How the derailed killers were able to give interview to a particular television channel,
7.While none could enter, how media managed to enter and collect anti-army propaganda materials from the culprits,
8.Why the Home Minister did not visit the spot immediately after the incident,
9.What was the topic of conversation between the mutineers and governments delegation Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Mirza Azam,
10.Who took Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Mirza Azam inside the BDR headquarters,
11.How the mutineers were taken in luxurious government vehicles [with black tinted glass] to the Prime Minister,
12.Why the mutineers taken to Prime Minister were not properly dressed [they did not have belt and cap],
13.Why these mutineers were not asked about the whereabouts of the director general before their meeting with the Prime Minister,
14.Why the mutineers gave false information to the Prime Minister such as, the hostages are in safe custody and there are 15,000 mutineer troops inside the BDR headquarters [there is information that the real number of troops inside were not more than five thousand. In this case, investigators are questioning about the identity of the remaining 10,000 people. They are having doubts as to whether these 10,000 were hired goons and culprits from outside in uniform],
15.Who helped the mutineers in escaping,
16.Who seized the power connection at Pilkhana BDR headquarters thus making way for the culprits to flee,
17.Some of the released officers have told that, killers continued to kill the army officers in phases. Many were killed after the declaration of general amnesty and during negotiation with the government,
18.Why the government did not set a pre-condition of giving general amnesty in exchange of release of all the hostages inside the BDR headquarters,
19.How the 14 members of the negotiation team, who went to the Prime Minister were selected. Who selected them,
20.Why the negotiators on behalf of the government never tried to know the whereabouts of the held officers and their family members,
21.Why dead bodies of the killed officers were not demanded prior to any negotiation,
22.The investigators are also investigating a fact that, while massacre was continuing inside the BDR headquarters, one army officer was engaged in sending fax messages to various people in support of mutineers and alleging the director general [Weekly Blitz has investigated this matter and learnt that one officer in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel sent such messages. This officer communicated with a large number of people who are aligned with the ruling party],
23.Wherefrom red and yellow bandanas and masks were taken inside the BDR headquarters,
24.One of the escaped officers gave extensive information on how the incident was taking place. He also claims that he was hidden inside a house. In this case, question is, how he managed to witness the entire happenings in the BDR compound when he was hiding under a bed,
25.This officer also said that, in the room where he was hiding, he was also watching the television and listened to the address of the Prime Minister. Here the investigators are curious to know, how for a man, whose life is in danger can afford to see the television,
26.Another escaped officer [a Major] told in an interview that, he wad hiding above the false ceiling of Darbar Hall. He also described that, during the entire Massacre, he moved from one place to another, thus finally coming back to the ceiling. Question here is how he managed to escape the eyes of thousands of mutineers and killers. Secondly he said, while hiding in the ceiling, he heard someone calling his name in the megaphone. He pepped through the holes of the ceiling and found Mirza Azam there. Here the investigators are curious to know, as to how Mirza Azam was sure about this officers hiding place,
27.The investigators are also trying to understand as to why the Prime Minister was hurriedly shifted from her personal residence to State Guest House in the name of security lacking,
28.A foreign intelligence agency suggested the Prime Minister to shift quickly to the secured State Guest House hurriedly. Investigators are also trying to find out motive behind such message of that foreign intelligence agency,
29.The investigators are also trying to find out as to why any responsible minister of the government did not rush to the spot, where dead bodies of army officers were recovered from a sewage line,
30.State Minister for Law Affairs told reporters much before the surrender of arms that fifty army officers were killed in the Massacre. Wherefrom the State Minister got this figure and if they demanded the dead bodies of these 50 officers.
Meanwhile, Weekly Blitz also found several unresolved question centering this tragic massacre:
1.Prime Minister told the Parliament that director general of Bangladesh Rifles phoned her right after the outbreak of the mutiny and sought her help. She further said, much ahead of this call, between 9:26-9:30 in the morning, the Prime Minister came to know about the mutiny inside BDR headquarters. She called the army chief and asked how long it would take for sending troops. The army chief told her that 90-120 minutes will be required for going into action. She [Prime Minister] asked for sending Air Force Helicopters urgently. The Prime Minister said, Rapid Action Battalion failed to go into action immediately as they were reportedly caught into traffic jam. She said all murders took place between 10-11 am on the first day of the massacre. Many of the officers, who were hiding sent text message saying they and their family members will be murdered if army was sent into action.
Here is my first question! Who are those officers sending text messages asking to stop army actions? And, how the Prime Minister is sure that all the murders took place during 10-11 am? According to statements of a number of escaped officers, murders continued even during the second day of the massacre. Definitely, one party here is giving untrue information. It is important to identify the fact.
2.Former President and army chief, Hussain Muhammed Ershad in an interview to private television channels said, only 20 minutes were required to combat the mutiny by the Bangladesh Army. There is no doubt that, General Ershad has extensive knowledge about the strength of Bangladesh Army. In this case, taking his statement into consideration, there could be a serious question as to why the politicians were interested in wasting time in the name of negotiations instead of military offensives,
3.Former director general of Bangladesh Rifles, Major General [Retired] Fazlur Rahman told reporters that hundreds of army officers were murdered inside BDR headquarters under the garb of mutiny. He said, should the Prime Minister go for quick military actions, lives of many officers would have been saved as well many of their family members would also have been saved from being raped and tortured. Citing example of 1995 mutiny of Ansars, General Rahman said, when only one mutineer Ansar member was shot during offensives, all the remaining mutineers immediately surrendered arms.
Here is again my comment again. From the statements of both the Generals, it is evident that, immediate and very quick army actions would have definitely saved the lives of many of the officers of our Armed Forces. Although the ruling government is trying its best to justify the success through political negotiation, I can well anticipate and apprehend that, some vested interest group was very much inclined in seeing most of the officers inside the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters, murdered.
According to various information, at the first hour of the mutiny, 30-35 officers, including the Director General of Bangladesh Rifles were killed. On Wednesday, after announcement of General Amnesty by the Prime Minister, almost the same number of officers was killed in the second batch. And, during the midnight of Wednesday, remaining officers were killed, one-by-one as per list available with the killers inside the BDR headquarters. Two full magazine bullets were shot in the bodies of each of the murdered officers. Some were even shot through their mouth. Poisoned bayonets were also charged on the dead bodies to confirm the death. Taking the advantage of darkness inside the compound, several mass graves were erected and dead bodies were gradually dumped in at various places inside the BDR quarters. Some dead bodies were also burnt.
Meanwhile, according to reports, Bangladesh government has sought assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, US intelligence agency, for probe into the incident of BDR revolt in Dhaka on Wednesday to bring the culprits to book and unveil the plot behind the massacre.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina sought the FBI help when American assistant secretary of state for the South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher, talked to her over phone on Sunday morning, on behalf of the secretary of state, Hilary Rodham Clinton, extending the US support at this trying time.
Boucher, on behalf of the US government, extended a continued support to the government and people of Bangladesh, and called for national unity as Washington responded to the tragic aftermath of the BDR rebellion.
Over 1,000 BDR soldiers were sued on Sunday for rising up against their officers, from the army, in the Bangladesh Rifles Headquarters in Dhaka in February 2526.
The plaintiff in the first information report named four junior BDR officials deputy assistant directors Tahidul Alam, Nasir Uddin Khan, Mirza Habibur Rahman and Abdul Jalil and soldiers Abdur Rahim and Mohammad Selim to have led the rebellion.
The case has been lodged under 24 sections of the Penal Code accusing the BDR soldiers of hatching a criminal conspiracy, waging or attempting to wage a war against the state, rioting, murder, voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servants from duties, assaulting or using criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duties, committing wrongful confinement, setting fire or using explosive substance with intent to destroy houses, theft after preparations made for causing death, hurt or restraint, and causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offenders. Section 149 of the Penal Code was also applied to the case which stipulates every member of an unlawful assembly will be guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object.
The rebels, who concealed the bodies of the army officers and their relatives, were further accused of hostage taking and attempting to dispose of the bodies of their victims by setting fire, burying them in mass graves and dumping them into sewers, according to the complaint.
Names and designations of 48 army officers have so far been found are:
Major General Shakil Ahmed, Brigadier General Mohammad Abdul Bari, Colonel Nafiz Uddin Ahmed, Colonel Mohammad Mazibul Haque, Colonel Mohammad Anisuzzaman, Colonel Mohammad Mashiur Rahman, Colonel Qudrat Elahi Rahman Shafique, Colonel Mohammad Akhtar Hossain, Colonel Mohammad Rezaul Kabir, Colonel Kazi Emdadul Haque, Colonel BM Zahid Hossain, Colonel Shamsul Arefin Ahmmed, Colonel Mohammad Naqibur Rahaman, Colonel Mohammad Zakir Hossain, Colonel Kazi Moazzem Hossain, Colonel Gulzar Uddin Ahmed, Colonel Mohammad Shawkat Imam, Colonel Mohammad Imdadul Islam, Colonel Mohammad Aftabul Islam, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Badrul Huda, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Enayetul Haque, Lieutenant Colonel Abu Musa Mohammad Ayub Kaiser, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Saiful Islam, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Sajjadur Rahman, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Lutfur Rahman, Lieutenant Colonel Enshad Ibn Amin, Lieutenant Colonel Shamsul Azam, Lieutenant Colonel Lutfar Rahman Khan, Lieutenant Colonel Kazi Rabi Rahman, Major Mohammad Azharul Islam, Major Mohammad Abdus Salam Khan, Major Mohammad Saleh, Major Mahmud Hasan, Major SM Mamunur Rahman, Major Humayun Haider, Major Khalid Hossain, Major Mahmudul Hasan, Major Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Major Mohammad Maksum ul Hakim, Major Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, Major Mohammad Mominul Islam, Major Mushtaq Mahmud, Major Mostafa Asdaduzzaman, Major Kazi Mosaddek Hossain, Captain Mohammad Mazharul Haider and Lieutenant Colonel [Retired] Delwar Hossain.
Major General Shakil Ahmmeds wife Nazneen Shakil and Lieutenant Colonel [Retired] Delwar Hossains wife Roushni Fatema Aktar Lovely were killed in the incident.
According to another press report, a large number of army officers on Sunday [March 1, 2009] expressed their deepest emotions, frustrations, excitement and expectations at a three-hour grand conference with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina discussing the BDR carnage in which the nation lost at least 73 people, including 60 officers.
At the Sena Kunja auditorium of Dhaka Cantonment, around 700 to 800 officers, from the army chief to second lieutenant ranked officers, discussed with the premier from 11:30am 32 points related to the carnage.
Hasina assured the army that each and everyone of the culprits involved in slaying would be traced and tried. She said the investigation would be free and fair and she would not spare anyone, even if someone of her party is found to have links with such a heinous act.
Responding to an idea from the officers, she agreed on forming a special tribunal for trial of the culprits.
Some officers suggested that the army be given the task of "Operation Rebel Hunt" to track and arrest the mutineers efficiently.
Sources present inside the conference say some officers told the premier they were not too happy with the way the BDR mutiny was handled and they thought it could have ended earlier by mobilising the army quickly.
Hasina then asked each of them what they think she should have done, and they came forward with their suggestions. The officers added her speech delivered on Wednesday at 2:00pm, five hours after the carnage began, could have been delivered earlier to calm down the mutineers.
They added the general amnesty declared by the PM to the mutineers to bring the situation under control should have been conditional. She could have said that the amnesty would be given if they did not kill officers.
Some officers suggested that each of the families of the slain officers given a high compensation package of TK 10 Million with a flat or plot. Some others suggested that a more pragmatic approach would be awarding pensions to each of the families of the victims as per the ranks of the officers. This would provide long-term benefit, they said.
As Bangladesh Rifles' [BDR] image and moral have been shattered, it should be restructured, they said, adding BDR may be disbanded and restructured under a new name like "Bangladesh Border Guards".
If sufficient manpower cannot be provided for the new force, it may be formed in line with Rapid Action Battalion as a composite force comprising army, navy, air force and the police. They suggested that the PM make an organogram and make it functional quickly as the border needs to be guarded quickly. The PM agreed saying that the details would be worked out later.
A credible enquiry is needed so that in future other governments cannot question it. It should be participated by different groups of people to ensure neutrality.
The officers also felt aggrieved by anti-army statements made by lawmakers in parliament. "We are a force serving the nation. If a body like parliament blasts a government organ like the army, it damages the whole institution," said an officer to the PM.
The officers also expressed their opinion that the army should be kept out of politics. Neither the Awami League, nor BNP should drag army into politics, they said.
They added transfer and promotion within the army should not be politically interfered with and left for handling professionally.
Meanwhile members of the armed forces are deployed across the country indefinitely to help law enforcement agencies arrest the absconding rebels of Bangladesh Rifles [BDR] and recover the missing firearms and ammunition.
The deployment begins on March 2, 2009 morning in aid of the civil administration under the 'Operation Rebel Hunt' mission, sources said.
The forces will be stationed at district headquarters and carry out operations on the basis of specific information from their intelligence, said sources.
As the Operation Rebel Hunt is already on from Monday morning and members of the Armed Forces are deployed throughout the country, it is expected that in the quickest possible time, killers, perpetrators and the instigators shall be identified and tried with highest punishment. Moreover, it is moral obligation of each and every citizen of Bangladesh to help the investigators with information, which might be useful in the entire investigation process. Nation demands immediate trial of the conspirators and killers of February Massacre. And this is a great testimony for the entire nation to prove to the world that, killers and conspirators, irrespective of their political identity and might, who staged such brutality of highest degree in Bangladesh, shall never be spared.
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