DHAKA: Today is the 11th anniversary of Peelkhana BDR carnage that claimed 74 people, including 57 army officers, in 2009.
Alhough 11 years have elapsed after the mutiny of the para-military force, the trial process in the cases filed over gruesome incident is yet to be completed.
Families of the victims are still waiting for execution of the lower court verdict in the cases. The High Court pronounced the verdict in the case in November 2017, but the case is now pending with the appellate division of the Supreme Court.
On November 27, 2017, the HC confirmed death penalty for 139 out of the 152 convicts. Earlier, capital punishment was pronounced by a lower court for their involvement in the killings during the incident.
Terming the offenders “most brutal” and “cold-blooded murderers,” a three-member special bench of the HC handed down the verdict in the biggest-ever criminal case in the country’s history in terms of numbers of accused and convicts.
On February 25, 2009, several hundred members of the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) rose up in armed revolt at Darbar Hall during three-day ‘BDR Week’ inside Pilkhana Headquarters and killed 74 people, including 57 army officers.
The carnage finally ended on the following day (February 26) with surrender of BDR rebels along with firearms, ammunition and grenades through negotiations between them and the government.
After the mutiny, the paramilitary force was renamed as Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
On completion of trial on November 5 in 2013, a Dhaka court awarded death sentence to 150 BDR members and two civilians, and life imprisonment to 160 others in the case.
Marking the day, the BGB will organize Quran Khwani, doa and milad mahfil at all regions, sectors, institutions and units including the Pilkhana headquarters.
The representatives of the president and prime minister, the home minister, chiefs of three armed forces, public security secretary of the home ministry and BGB director general placed floral wreaths at the Banani military graveyard this morning.
All BGB members wore black-badge and BGB flag has been hoisted half-mast at the places where BGB regimental flag is hoisted.
On Wednesday, a special prayer and milad mahfil will be held at Pilkhana central mosque at 4:25 pm 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. Home affairs ministry senior secretary, BGB director general, relatives of the martyrs and all officers of the BGB headquarters will attend the programme.
BDST: 1354 HRS, FEB 25, 2020
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