A commission set up to investigate a violent mutiny that saw dozens of senior army officers massacred 16 years ago on Sunday said former premier Sheikh Hasina had ordered the killings.
Rampaging troops from the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) murdered 74 people, including military officers, during the two-day revolt that began in Dhaka and spread across the country in 2009, destabilising the government of then-premier Hasina weeks after she took office.
The National Independent Investigation Commission, which was formed to reinvestigate the 2009 massacre at the BDR (now BGB) headquarters in Pilkhana, has found that then prime minister Sheikh Hasina gave the “green signal” to the killings, while lawmaker Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh acted as the key coordinator.
The attack was “planned” and carried out with “collective involvement” of the then-Awami League government, according to the findings of the commission which handed its final report to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus today (30 November).
The National Independent Investigation Commission – tasked with probing the brutal killings committed in the name of the BDR mutiny in February 2009 – has found that ousted fascist prime minister Sheikh Hasina – along with senior Awami League figures – orchestrated the massacre “with the collaboration of a neighbouring country”.
The panel also says former MP and ex-Dhaka South mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh was the “chief coordinator” of the carnage.
The panel concludes that the killings, which left at least 73 people dead including 56 Army officers, were the result of a pre-planned political and external operation that unfolded on 25–26 February 2009.
The commission says the plot was set in motion as early as 2008, capitalising on growing unrest among rank-and-file BDR personnel and their discontent at working under army officers posted on deputation.
According to investigators, this vulnerability inside the force was “availed to execute the plot”, giving political actors and foreign collaborators an opportunity to trigger a chain of events that would ultimately undermine Bangladesh’s military establishment.
The findings – which fundamentally challenge the narrative maintained under the former Awami League government – were formally submitted to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the State Guesthouse Jamuna on Sunday.
Hours later, the commission’s Chairman Maj Gen (Retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman, briefed reporters at the Bangladesh Reference Institute for Chemical Measurements in Dhaka, outlining an account that implicates high-ranking politicians, security chiefs and foreign nationals.
Pressed repeatedly to identify those involved, Fazlur Rahman initially urged reporters to contact the Ministry of Home Affairs, where 11 copies of the full report had been deposited. But he later confirmed that the findings point directly at Hasina and other senior figures.
“Apart from the force people, some politicians were also involved in the killing. Number one is Sheikh Hasina.
Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh, Sheikh Selim, Mirza Azam, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, the then home minister Sahara Khatun, then Army chief Moeen U Ahmed, prime minister’s security affairs adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique, and DGFI chief Gen Akbar were among the people involved in it,” he said.
He added that BDR personnel and “people from India” took part directly in the killing mission. The motives, he said, were to weaken the Bangladesh Army and serve “some other reasons” documented in the report.
The commission argues that the then government wanted to prolong its hold on power while a neighbouring state sought to destabilise Bangladesh.
Asked to specify the foreign country, Fazlur Rahman replied, “Neighbouring country means India where former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has taken refuge along with her partymen.”
Discontent within BDR exploited
The retired general said the conspiracy took advantage of internal grievances that had long simmered within the BDR ranks.
“There was discontent among the BDR members regarding the Operation Dal-Bhat and BDR shop. Their duty was increased and the force was distracted from its classical role. And some BDR members didn’t want to work under the army officers. There were some more tensions in BDR, which we have found,” he said.
The commission says these tensions were instrumental in creating the conditions necessary for the mutiny to be weaponised into a full-scale massacre.
Foreign presence and missing records
According to the commission, around 921 Indian nationals entered Bangladesh around the time of the mutiny. But investigators could not determine how 67 of them later left the country. These 67 individuals are the operatives of the Indian RAW.
“They entered in the air space but they were supposed to return the same way, but… we have suggested to the government to ask the government to get answer about their return,” Fazlur Rahman said.
Several family members of the slain officers testified that “some people were talking in Hindi” during the siege inside Pilkhana.
“They also tortured the family members of martyrs in different ways. Some had their hands broken, eyes uprooted, and were tortured physically in many ways,” he said.
Security forces ‘failed’, RAB stopped from intervention
The report sharply criticises the police, RAB and intelligence agencies for what it describes as “serious failures” before and during the mutiny. Darbar Hall — where most of the killings took place — was just 30 to 40 metres from Gate No.5, where a RAB team was deployed.
“RAB or police can intervene without prior approval of the high authorities if any crime occurs. But RAB didn’t do anything there,” said Fazlur Rahman.
RAB operatives told the commission that then additional director Lt Col Rezanur prevented them from intervening. “We have included this in our report.”
He also cited comments from the then army chief, Gen Moeen U Ahmed. “Gen Moeen said if we jump into action, India may intervene here. They returned home in 1971 but in that time they may stay here.”
Intelligence failures and institutional weaknesses
Calling the episode an “uphill intelligence failure”, the commission recommends reforms across the Army, BGB and police to ensure coordinated crisis response. It also warns that structural weaknesses in policymaking positions within the security services must be addressed to prevent future lapses.
The inquiry reviewed a vast archive: more than 600 video recordings, 800 photographs from different sources, 215 newspaper reports, and testimonies from 247 individuals, including 14 members of martyred families, 10 politicians, two interim government advisers, 130 military officers, four civil officials, 22 police officials, nine civilians, 22 serving and former BDR members, 26 prisoners, one UN resident coordinator and three journalists.
Investigators visited 27 institutions and conducted interviews with senior officers living both at home and abroad. They also examined parliamentary proceedings from 15 February to 30 March 2009. Attempts were made to contact Awami League leaders Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Mirza Azam online, though efforts to connect via Zoom were unsuccessful.
‘Pre-planned attack’ aided by political actors
Commission member Maj Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Kabir Talukder said earlier that the attack was “pre-planned” and enabled by political actors. He alleged that local Awami League leaders had entered Pilkhana in a small group but left “with a much larger crowd”.
Receiving the report, Chief Adviser Prof Yunus said the country had “long remained in the dark” about the true nature of the massacre.
He called the commission’s work “a valuable asset” that would help the nation answer unresolved questions and chart a path towards justice. The report outlines recommendations for strengthening discipline within security forces and supporting families of those killed.
National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman and Home Secretary Nasimul Gani were present at the handover.
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