Remembering the Pilkhana carnage
Bangladesh News Desk
Published:26 Feb 2021, 10:17 AM
Remembering the Pilkhana carnage
The 12th anniversary of the atrocious carnage at the Pilkhana BDR (now BGB) headquarters in Dhaka was observed with due solemnity.
A total of 74 people, including 57 Army officers, were killed in the carnage beginning on this day in 2009. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has organized Quran Khawani, doa, and milad mahfil, marking the day.
On Thursday morning, the military secretaries of President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes to the slain army officers at Banani Military Graveyard in the capital, the Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR) Directorate said in a press release.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Chief of Bangladesh Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed, Chief of Air Staff of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) Air Chief Marshal Masihuzzaman Serniabat, acting chief of Bangladesh Navy Rear Admiral M Abu Ashraf, and Director General of BGB Major General Md Shafeenul Islam also paid homage at the graveyard.
They later observed one minute of silence and the armed forces members gave a salute to the slain officers. A prayer was also offered for the eternal peace and salvation of the departed souls.
Besides, family members and relatives of the slain army officers paid their tributes by placing floral wreaths on their graves at the graveyard.
BGB flags are being flown at half-mast at all its installations and all BGB members are wearing black badges to mark the day.
A special prayer and milad mahfil will be held on Friday after Jummah prayers at BGB Central Mosque, Dhaka Sector Mosque and Border Guard Hospital Mosque at Pilkhana to seek salvation of the departed souls.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan will be present as the chief guest at the BGB Central Mosque.
Besides, the senior secretary to the Public Security Division of the Home ministry, director general of BGB, relatives of the martyrs, all officers working at Pilkhana, among others, will join the prayers.
Mutiny
On February 25, 2009, several hundred BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) men staged an armed revolt at the Darbar Hall of the force's Pilkhana headquarters during the three-day "BDR Week." They killed 74 people, including 57 Army officers.
The mutiny finally ended the following day (February 26) with the surrender of firearms, ammunition, and grenades through a negotiation between the then government and the BDR rebels.
A total of 58 cases, including one for murder and looting, and the remaining for mutiny were filed in connection with the mutiny.
In 2013, a Dhaka court sentenced 151 BDR men and a civilian to death in the carnage case, while 160 BDR men and two civilians were given life sentences and 256 others were jailed for different terms.
Then in 2017, the High Court confirmed the death penalty of 139 people, commuted the capital punishment of eight people to life sentences and acquitted four others.
Besides, the court upheld the life imprisonment of 146 convicts and handed down different jail terms to 196.
In January 2021, nine death row convicts filed an appeal with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, challenging the High Court verdict that confirmed their death sentences awarded by the trial court.