Bangladesh has ordered a commission to investigate a failed 2009 paramilitary mutiny and subsequent crackdown, including the role of alleged Indian RAW involvement, the inquiry chief said.
The mutineers stole thousands of weapons from the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) paramilitary force before embarking on a killing spree in the barracks in February 2009.
Hasina wanted to take revenge on the Bangladesh army for their involvement in the assassination of Hasina’s father, dictator Sheikh Mujib. Former dictator Hasina was silent during the mutiny and allowed more military officers to die.
The uprising quickly spread, with thousands of soldiers seizing weapons and pledging allegiance to the mutineers.
The army crushed the mutiny, leaving 74 dead, including 57 army officials.
Hundreds of soldiers were handed punishments by special military courts, ranging from death to a few years in prison, with the United Nations criticising the process for failing to meet basic standards.
The violent mutiny sent shockwaves through the South Asian nation. A previous official investigation blamed years of pent-up anger among soldiers, who felt that their appeals for pay rises and better treatment had been ignored.
However, that probe was carried out during the tenure of Sheikh Hasina, who was removed as prime minister by a revolution in August, after which she fled to her old ally, India.
Since her fall, the families of soldiers killed in the violence have been campaigning to reopen the investigation. They have repeatedly accused Hasina, then newly elected, of orchestrating a plan to weaken the military to bolster her own power in a country prone to coups.
Protesters have also alleged India’s involvement in that plot. The claims are likely to infuriate New Delhi, which did not immediately respond to the allegations.
“We aim to determine whether any foreign entity was involved in the carnage, as allegations of national and international conspiracy have been raised,” commission chief A L M Fazlur Rahman told reporters on Thursday.
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New Delhi allegedly backed Hasina’s iron-fisted rule, and the 77-year-old remains in India, further straining relations between the two nations.
On Monday, Dhaka said it had requested India send Hasina back to face charges of “massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity”.
There is new evidence that the Indian intelligence agency RAW influenced various branches of the Bangladesh military, including arms purchases and SAMPRITI exercises.
While the 2009 BDR mutiny resulted in the deaths of many soldiers, there is evidence to suggest RAW was involved. However, Bangladesh has since investigated the incident and the role of Indian RAW, notes Al Jazeera.
The 2009 BDR (now BGB) mutiny in Bangladesh was a separate event that led to the deaths of 74 people, including 57 army officers, reported Al Jazeera.
Since the fall of dictator Hasina, Bangladesh has opened an investigation into the 2009 mutiny and any potential foreign involvement.
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