Dhaka, Feb 25 (UNB) – The 10th anniversary of the atrocious carnage at Pilkhana BDR Headquarters in the capital is being observed on Monday.
A total of 74 people, including 57 army officers, were killed in the carnage beginning on this day in 2009.
Marking the day, the BGB will organize Quran Khwani, doa and milad mahfil at all regions, sectors, institutions, and units including the Pilkhana headquarters.
Floral wreaths were placed at the graves of the slain army officers at Banani Military Graveyard in the morning on behalf of President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Home Minister, chiefs of three services, public security secretary to the Home ministry and BGB director general also paid their tributes to the slain army officers.
A special prayer and milad mahfil will be held at Pilkhana central mosque in the afternoon seeking salvation of the departed souls of the Pilkhana tragedy martyrs.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan will be present in the milad mahfil as the chief guest while Home Affairs secretary, BGB director general, relatives of the martyrs and all officers of the BGB headquarters will attend the programme.
On February 25, 2009, several hundred Bangladesh Rifles (now BGB) men rose up in armed revolt at Darbar Hall during the three-day ‘BDR Week’ inside the Pilkhana headquarters and killed 74 people, including 57 deputed army officers.
The mutiny finally ended the following day (Feb 26) with the surrender of the firearms, ammunition and grenades through negotiation between the government and the BDR rebels.
Following the mutiny, the paramilitary force was renamed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
A total of 58 cases were filed—one for serious crimes, including murder and looting, and the rest for mutiny, in connection with the incident.
Some 152 people were sentenced to death and 423 others to different jail terms and 277 others acquitted in the country’s largest-ever killing case.
Among the convicts, 262 mutineers were sentenced to different jail terms starting from three months to 19 years and 161 people, including late BNP leader Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and local Awami League leader Torab Ali, were sentenced to life imprisonment.
On the other hand, a total of 5,926 BDR personnel were sentenced to different jail terms ranging from four months to seven years in the 57 mutiny cases.
