No substance in conspiracy claims

[Zabaniyah]

A week after the 2009 BDR mutiny, Dhaka remained abuzz with several conspiracy theories about who the mastermind was, with some pointing finger at India, some at BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and some at Jamaat-e-Islami, say two US embassy cables released by WikiLeaks.

The cables sent to the United States on March 5 and 9, 2009 by the then US ambassador James F Moriarty, say Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on March 3 claimed that more plots were being hatched to topple the government. Her statement was, however, not backed by any credible evidence.

On February 25-26 in 2009, jawans took over the then Bangladesh Rifles (now Border Guard Bangladesh) Pilkhana headquarters in the capital and killed at least 74 people including 57 army officers.

Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad on February 28 that year suggested to the envoy that India was behind the mutiny. Then at a meeting on March 9, he backed off from the claim saying it did not make any sense.

“Ershad is extremely plugged-in with the serving military. His backing away from his earlier suggestions that the GOI [Government of India] was behind the mutiny might reflect a growing recognition among some officers that perhaps there was no external hand behind the mutiny. Still, tension remains,” comments Moriarty.

He observed no credible evidence of an external conspiracy has yet surfaced in the ongoing investigations into the mutiny.

Moriarty quoted political counsellor at the Indian high commission in Dhaka M Subbarayudu as telling him that India believed the mutiny would make it more difficult for the Awami League to take bold action to improve bilateral relations.

Following the Pilkhana bloodbath, a planned visit by the Indian Cabinet member with responsibility for the country's states bordering Bangladesh was cancelled. Efforts to improve regional security cooperation and management of the lengthy Indian-Bangladesh border also were likely to be disrupted, the counsellor said.

Mentioning widening rift between the ruling party and the opposition, one of the cables says “BNP has accused Hasina of bungling the response to the mutiny, and Zia [BNP chief Khaleda Zia] has joined some military officers in calling for the resignation of the Minister of Home Affairs, who led Government negotiations with mutineers.”

“BNP Member of Parliament Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, who Indian media reported instigated the mutiny, told us privately that Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia no longer planned to work with the GOB [Government of Bangladesh] on a response to the mutiny as the Awami League Government had rebuffed her attempts to reach out,” the ambassador said.

He adds Hasina's insistence on a broader conspiracy surely will colour the deliberations of the three separate investigations into the rebellion. The eventual findings of those probes -- one by a government-appointed body, another by the military and a third by the Criminal Investigation Department -- could further fuel partisan rancour and still-simmering military anger.

LOYALISTS PUT IN KEY POSITIONS

As investigations and verbal sparring continue, March 8 saw a series of personnel changes, including the replacement of Home Secretary Abdul Karim by Awami League loyalist Abdus Sobhan Sikdar.

This follows changes in army personnel, including the appointment of a new director general (DG) for the Ansar, a new DG for the BDR and a new director for the Military Intelligence.

Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj, the state minister for home affairs, who was reportedly sharply criticised by the prime minister for remaining abroad as the mutiny unfolded, has now returned to Dhaka, but has not yet been seen in public. Meanwhile, speculation continues over whether the PM will replace the home minister herself over the latter's handling of the mutiny.

“The Awami League government continues to put loyalists in key positions, and all hopes of politicians rising above partisanship in the wake of this national tragedy have vanished. We continue to urge transparency and moderation in the GOB response to the mutiny,” Moriarty commented.

Source: No substance in conspiracy claims

We should stop participating in UN missions and bring our troops home.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

It would cause great turmoil for those who are used to easy $.

Politically dangerous in a country where the Army has already tasted blood, thanks to Zia and cahoots!