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Bangladesh:Gunfight at BDR headquarters

is things returning back to normal now ? so these revolters now back to their duties as before then ? will they not be interrogated or arrested ?
 
This is a RAW analysis of the BDR mutiny -

Bad Omens From Bangladesh

By B. Raman

"In an assessment on Bangladesh disseminated in January, 1997, this writer had observed as follows: " There are individual officers in the Bangladesh intelligence community and in its security forces, who feel positively towards Sheikh Hasina (Prime Minister) and her father, but one cannot say the same thing of these organisations as institutions. Institutionally, they may not share with her the same enthusiasm for closer relations with India and for assisting it in dealing with the insurgency (in the North-East). It would take her and her party considerable time to understand and assess the intricacies of their working and the labyrinthine relationships which they have built up with their Pakistani counterparts during the last 21 years. She, therefore, has to move with caution."

"The savage manner in which 15 members of India's Border Security Force (BSF) were reportedly abducted, tortured, killed and their bodies mutilated beyond recognition last week shows that even after almost five years in power, Sheikh Hasina is apparently not in total command of her military and intelligence establishment, which like its counterpart in Pakistan, has been infected by the fundamentalist virus of Afghan vintage and is probably developing an agenda of its own vis-à-vis India."

---Extract from my article dated 23-4-2001 titled BANGLADESH: A BENGALI ABBASI LURKING SOMEWHERE? at Bangladesh: A Bengali Abbasi Lurking Somewhere?

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The current mutiny across Bangladesh by directly-recruited junior officers and other ranks of the Bangladesh Rifles (BD) bodes ill for the recently-elected (in December, 2008) Government headed by Sheikh Hasina. Their mutiny, which started in Dhaka on February 25, 2009, and has since spread to other parts of the country, including Chittagong, ostensibly over long-pending grievances regarding pay and allowances and food rations, is directed till now not against the political leadership but against the senior army officers----serving and retired---on deputation to the BDR.

2. The targeted Army officers occupy senior positions in the command and control of the BDR and their pay and allowances and other perks are governed by those applicable to the army officers and not by those applicable to the directly-recruited officers of the BDR. Resentment over what is perceived by the direct recruits as the step-motherly treatment meted out to them by the deputationists and re-employed officers of the Army seem to have acted as the trigger for the mutiny. The spreading mutiny, during which a number of senior army officers serving on deputation in the BDR, are reported to have been either killed or held hostage, seems to have taken the Army and political leadership by surprise. It was the outcome of a secret conspiracy well-planned and well-executed by the junior officers and other ranks. The intelligence wing of the Bangladesh Police and the Army-dominated Directorate-General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) seem to have been taken by surprise. If the DGFI had advance information, it would have at least tried to alert the senior army officers so that they did not become targets and victims of the mutineers. The fact that it did not do so suggests that the DGFI was not aware.

3. The fact that the mutineers were able to plan and execute this conspiracy in total secrecy with even the grass-roots political cadres of different parties not getting scent of it, speaks of a well-organised anti-army network inside the BDR. The identities of the ring leaders of the conspiracy remain unclear. A question of major concern both to the BD political and military leadership as well as to India should be---- was the mutiny purely due to bread and butter issues or is there something more to it?

4. As in the case of the BD Army, in the case of the BDR too, many of the recruits at the lower levels come from the villages and quite a few of them are products of the mushrooming madrasas across the country funded by money from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Pakistan. The rural areas of Bangladesh and the madrasas there are the main recruiting and brainwashing grounds of the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI-B) and other jihadi organisations. While the international community has paid considerable attention to monitoring the infiltration of the Pakistani Armed Forces by fundamentalist and jihadi elements since the days of the late Gen.Zia-ul-Haq, similar attention has not been paid to monitoring the presence of fundamentalist and jihadi elements in the BD Armed Forces and the BDR.

5. Senior officers' relationship with the junior ranks has always been the Achilles' heel of the BDR, which used to be known before the birth of BD in 1971 as the East Pakistan Rifles (EPR). The EPR consisted largely of Bengali direct recruits officered by Punjabi and Pashtun deputationists from the Pakistan Army. Resentment over the humiliating attitude of the Pakistani Army officers towards the Bengali junior ranks was an important factor, which had contributed to the desertion of large sections of the Bengali junior ranks from the EPR and their joining the freedom struggle under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

6. After the birth of Bangladesh those members of the EPR, who had deserted and joined the freedom struggle, were reconstituted into the hard-core of the newly-created BDR. The force at the lower and middle levels has grown around this hard core. It now has a strength of around 70,000 and its role is mainly trans-border security in times of peace. In Bangladesh territory bordering India, which has been the hotbed of the activities of the HUJI and where many of its training camps are located, the BDR is responsible for security. Its role in this regard often brings it into contact with the HUJI and other jihadi elements.

7. The unfriendly attitude of sections of the lower ranks of the BDR to India became evident from the savage manner in which 15 members of India's Border Security Force (BSF) were abducted, tortured, killed and their bodies mutilated beyond recognition by elements from the BDR in April, 2001. Sheikh Hasina, who was in power at that time too, did not or could not take action against those responsible for this savagery despite her professed friendship for India. The BD Press had quoted the then BD Foreign Secretary, Syed Muazzem Ali, as telling journalists at Dacca on April 20, 2001, as follows: "The border force has standing responsibility of protecting the frontier from any external attacks. BDR are there to repulse any attack on the country’s frontier. There are some situations when decisions are taken instantly. It does not require to send file to Dhaka, get order and then start firing. It is the charter duty of BDR to protect our frontier from any attack on our border. If question of war comes, then the orders from top level may come." He thus tried to justify the action by the BDR.

8. The mutiny and the consequent confrontation between the junior elements of the BDR and the Army has placed Sheikh Hasina in a trickly situation. The Army seems determined to act against the BDR mutineers and crush their revolt by using tanks and other heavy weapons against them. It should be able to crush them in Dhaka and other big towns. Its ability to do so in the rural areas and particularly near the border with India remains to be seen. If the mutineers realise the lack of wisdom of their action and surrender without further resistance, the situation may be controlled. If they put up a resistance in the rural areas, many HUJI and other jihadi elements might join them in the hope of exploiting the situation to their benefit.

9. In the past, the BDR had remained loyal to Sheikh Hasina and other political leaders. They preferred to depend on the police and para-military forces for their personal security than on the Army, which they distrusted. Now she has no other option but to back the army in its confrontation with the mutineers and authorise it to take whatever action it considers necessary to quell the mutiny. The political fall-out of the confrontation could be unpredictable for her Government. The ultimate beneficiaries of any political instability resulting from it could be the jihadis.

10. The developing situation has to be closely watched by India and the rest of the international community.

Bad Omens From Bangladesh
 
New BDR DG named, no mercy for killers

Dhaka Feb 27 (bdnews24.com)—The government has named a new director general for the troubled border guards Bangladesh Rifles and said the general amnesty will not be for those who "directly" took part in killings.

Abul Kalam Azad, the spokesman for the prime minister, told bdnews24.com that an army officer, Brig Gen Moinul Hossain, AWC, PSC would lead the rebuilding efforts of the paramilitary forces.

"Those who were directly involved in the killings inside the BDR headquarters will not come under the general amnesty announced by the prime minister," press secretary Azad told senior correspondent Sumon Mahbub.

Azad said the prime minister also announced compensation for the victims of the mutiny. He said the government would pay for their children's education.

http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=2&id=77399&hb=top
 
42 more bodies retrieved from BDR headquarters
Star Online Report

Forty-two more bodies were recovered in a search today for missing army officers at the headquarters of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) following the 33-hour mutiny that ended Thursday evening.

Thirty-four of the bodies were recovered from a fifteen-feet-deep manhole near the BDR hospital mortuary around 2:30pm. Fourteen of them were in BDR uniform.

Eight other bodies were recovered from a canal.

Fifteen of the deceased were identified as Col Elahi, Col Muazzem, Col Emdad, Col Ensat, Col Ehsan, Maj Masum, Maj Rafiq, Maj Moshiur, Maj Haider, Maj Khalid, Col Latifur Rahman, Col Nakibur Rahman, Col Imam Shawkat, Lt Col Rabi Rahman and Maj Mahbub.

Relatives of the missing officers and soldiers thronged Nawabganj sluice gate and BDR headquarters areas for the bodies of their near and dear ones.

In the joint hunt of army, police and Rab, a huge number of BDR uniforms were found abandoned inside the headquarters .

The 33-hour mutiny by disgruntled border guards ended Thursday after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned of tough action over any "suicidal activities".

The Daily Star - Details News

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This is no mutiny!It was systematic and planned way to destroy the backbone of the army:tsk:So many talented officers were killed.It will take a decade for Bangladesh army to replenish their loses.
 
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New BDR DG named, no mercy for killers

Dhaka Feb 27 (bdnews24.com)—The government has named a new director general for the troubled border guards Bangladesh Rifles and said the general amnesty will not be for those who "directly" took part in killings.

Abul Kalam Azad, the spokesman for the prime minister, told bdnews24.com that an army officer, Brig Gen Moinul Hossain, AWC, PSC would lead the rebuilding efforts of the paramilitary forces.

"Those who were directly involved in the killings inside the BDR headquarters will not come under the general amnesty announced by the prime minister," press secretary Azad told senior correspondent Sumon Mahbub.

Azad said the prime minister also announced compensation for the victims of the mutiny. He said the government would pay for their children's education.

http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=2&id=77399&hb=top

Good,but I am afraid most of the murderers have already fled the scene.
I would like some "cross-fire" or "encounter" on the killers by RAB.Would definitely enjoy it.:angry:

As the time passing by,more and more people lost their sympathy with BDR jawans and now turning against them.The way they committed atrocities,unbelievable.

Many innocent BDR jawans were also killed,those who did not want to take part in the Mutiny.The most agitated and the culprit group were few hundred and probably fled the HQ.
 
Mutiny planned, funded: Nanak
Star Online Report

State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanak today said the killing of army officers during the BDR mutiny was an act of sabotage.

"It did not happen out of blue. It was a conspiracy. They were killed in a well-planned way," Nanak told reporters at 4:15pm at the VIP gate of BDR headquarters near Jhigatala.

The state minister said a vested group had long been working on the conspiracy and it distributed millions of taka among the BDR soldiers.

He also vowed that the conspirators must face exemplary punishment.

Parliament whip Mirza Azam accompanied Nanak.

The Daily Star - Details News
 
Mutiny inciters will be tracked down: PM
Star Online Report

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said those who instigated the mutiny at Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) would face administrative action.

"The government will find those out who were behind the BDR mutiny," Hasina told reporters after visiting the relatives of BDR officers, who had been held hostages, at Mirpur cantonment this afternoon.

Army Chief Moyeen U Ahmed was present.

In a televised speech on Thursday, the prime minister announced general amnesty to the BDR mutineers and announced to make sure their safety that apparently quickened the end of the mutiny.

"Nobody could have staged the rebellion alone. A certain quarter must be involved behind the incident. Everyone was not involved, but a group was,"
the prime minister added.

Earlier, the prime minister visited the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka cantonment where injured army officers were undergoing treatment, said PM's press secretary Abul Kalam Azad.

The Daily Star - Details News

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Going in the right direction so far.
 
Col Gulzar's body identified
Star Online Report

The body of Colonel Gulzar Uddin Ahmed was retrieved today from the headquarters of Bangladesh Rifles.

Lieutenant Colonel Shamsuzzaman Khan, commanding officer of Rapid Action Battalion-2, identified Gulzar's body.

Gulzar was the founding director of the intelligence wing of Rab.

He had led the operation to arrest militant kingpin Shaikh Abdur Rahman who was later convicted and hanged Sylhet.

In December, he was deputed to BDR as commander of Sylhet Sector from Rab.

The Daily Star - Details News
 
As the time passing by,more and more people lost their sympathy with BDR jawans and now turning against them.The way they committed atrocities,unbelievable.

The mood in the country is sombre and anger in the cantonment seems to be brewing. Has anyone been able to verify the BSF text messages inciting the BDR jawans? I find the Indian proposal for a peace mission also very suspicious. Also some of the RAW analysis is very quick to identify the suspects i.e. ISI, Jamaat, SQC, HuJi (B), madrassah education. This is even though many of the Jawans were heard chanting Joy Bangla (a very secular expression).
 
Gen Shakil's body takes toll to 67

Dhaka, Feb 27 (bdnews24.com) – The body of slain BDR chief Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed was found in a ditch near the Dabar Hall inside the headquarters compound, taking the official toll for the dead to 67 in the two-day mutiny.

The head of Fire Service, Brig Gen Abu Nayeem Md Shahidullah, identified the general's body.

"The body was stripped of uniform, but I could still recognise since I knew him so well personally," the Fire chief told reporters late Friday afternoon.

The corpse was one of the 44 found since the operation to retrieve bodies of slain army officers began inside the compound Friday morning, Shahidullah said.

The Fire Service official said all 44 were army officers.

Another notable of the latest find was the body former additional director general of RAB and BDR Sylhet sector commander Col Gulzar Uddin Ahmed.

The wife of Gen Shakil, Nazneen Ahmed, also believed killed, was yet to be traced, the Fire chief said.

One found Friday morning

On Friday morning, police said they retrieved one body from near the BDR Gate No 1. The dead was identified as a BDR member, but the identity could not be established immediately.

Nine reported found late Thursday night

Nine bodies were recovered from the BDR compound half and hour past midnight Thursday.

The nine could not be identified immediately, assistant sub-inspector of Dhanmondi Police Station Saiful Islam told bdnews24.com.

Six of the bodies were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and then to Mitford Hospital for inquest, the ASI said.

Retired lieutenant colonel Delwar Hossain and his wife Lovely Begum were apparently killed inside the DG's bungalow. The couple were their guests.

Their bodies were recovered after the rebels' surrender from the bungalow.

Six found early Thursday

Earlier, six bodies were recovered from Kamrangirchar near the Buriganga river early Thursday, police said.

Among these bodies was that of BDR DDG Brig Gen Abdul Bari.

"All six were found in BDR officer uniforms," Kamrangirchar officer-in-charge Mainuddin Khan told bdnews24.com.

The bodies, recovered between 6am and 8am, were laid out for inquest and identification at Nawabganj Park until around 10am before being taken to Mitford Hospital for autopsy, he said.

Brother-in-law Nero and ex-colleague Brig Gen (retd) Saber Ahmed identified the body of the BDR DDG.

Wife Nusrat Jahan and brother-in-law Zia identified the body Col Abu Musa Ayub Kaiser Ahmed.

Nephew Baktia Sumon identified Col Zahid Hossain.

Brother Mahbubul Haider identified the body of Captain Mazharul Haider, son-in-law of IGP Noor Mohammad.

Relative Dr Atiur Rahman identified the body Col Anisuzzaman, son of former cabinet secretary and former minister Mahbubuzzaman.

One of the bodies remained unidentified, said Kamrangirchar OC Khan.

"They were found this morning, in the same area as the two the day before," he said.

First two bodies

The bodies of two senior officers were the first to be recovered Wednesday.

They were apparently dumped in a drain behind the BDR compound and then floated up to Kamrangirchar, police said.

Col Mujibul Huq commanded the Dhaka Sector and headed the emergency government's Operation Daal-Bhat.

The body of Lt Col Enayet, commander of 36 Battalion, was found alongside Huq's.

Three bystanders

Three civilian bystanders also lost their lives.

Gen Shakil's body takes toll to 67 :: Bangladesh :: bdnews24.com ::
 
India always try to blame and accuse these same people in order to hide Indian subversive act inside Bangladesh. Nothing new on Indian propaganda.

But fact of the matter is people in the country and in armed forces know Indians are behind this mutiny.

Here is the SmS news from Bangla daily
::Welcome to Daily Naya Diganta::
 
Gents, My condolences. Inna lillahi wa inna alaihi rajaoun. This is indeed a great loss for the Bangladesh Army and the nation. I really cannot imagine losing this many field ranking officers (Majs and Cols) even in a war let alone a mutiny. This is extremely tragic and as someone has stated above, would take years for the Army to make up as the experience and leadership that officers of such ranks provide to their units cannot be had overnight.

I just hope that these BDR culprits are punished for these ghastly murders. If the BD govt goes easy, this would be setting a wrong precedence for other disgruntled military and law enforcement agencies in the future. I would even venture to say that nothing short of disbandment and re-organization of the BDR would work.

One of the issues that I find disturbing here is as follows. Why is the BDR such a large force? Why is this force not broken down into smaller formations? While not perfect, in Pakistan, our border guards are split up by provinces even though the offrs are seconded from the Army as in the case of BDR. While good treatment of the men under the command is of paramount interest, from a security standpoint, you simply cannot have such a large force which is not integrated into the Army. While there are many lessons to be learned here by others in the region including Pakistan, I hope stern action is taken against these people.

I am truly amazed at the level of anger and frustration which leads these BDR men to kill officers in the tens. Its simply mind-boggling.
 
I hear of disturbances in Sylhet, Chittagong and Dhaka cantonments. Anyone know whats going on if anything?
 
Gents, My condolences. Inna lillahi wa inna alaihi rajaoun. This is indeed a great loss for the Bangladesh Army and the nation. I really cannot imagine losing this many field ranking officers (Majs and Cols) even in a war let alone a mutiny. This is extremely tragic and as someone has stated above, would take years for the Army to make up as the experience and leadership that officers of such ranks provide to their units cannot be had overnight.

I just hope that these BDR culprits are punished for these ghastly murders. If the BD govt goes easy, this would be setting a wrong precedence for other disgruntled military and law enforcement agencies in the future. I would even venture to say that nothing short of disbandment and re-organization of the BDR would work.

One of the issues that I find disturbing here is as follows. Why is the BDR such a large force? Why is this force not broken down into smaller formations? While not perfect, in Pakistan, our border guards are split up by provinces even though the offrs are seconded from the Army as in the case of BDR. While good treatment of the men under the command is of paramount interest, from a security standpoint, you simply cannot have such a large force which is not integrated into the Army. While there are many lessons to be learned here by others in the region including Pakistan, I hope stern action is taken against these people.

I am truly amazed at the level of anger and frustration which leads these BDR men to kill officers in the tens. Its simply mind-boggling.

blain2 appreciate your kind word and suggestion. But answer your question on why BDR forces is large - given our threat perception (namely from india) we have rather small army. BDR always served as complementary force to our nation defense. They were guarding borders but this forces are well traind along with army to do the job during the time of need.
 
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