The 2009 BDR massacre is an unprecedented incident in the history of Bangladesh. The then Awami League government was trapped in this conspiracy to weaken the army and prolong its power. This happened with the approval of Sheikh Hasina and the involvement of the Indian intelligence agency RAW. This information has been revealed in the report of the National Independent Commission of Inquiry formed by the interim government.
On February 25 and 26, 2009, a brutal massacre took place at the headquarters of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). Fifty-seven army officers, including the then director general of BDR, Major General Shakil Ahmed, were killed in the attack. In all, 74 people were killed in Pilkhana. On that day, the family members of the military officers in the Pilkhana were also subjected to atrocities.
Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5 last year in a mass uprising. Later, the interim government formed a national independent commission of inquiry to uncover the truth about the murder of Pilkhan. The commission submitted its report to Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus on Sunday. Sensational information has emerged in the report, which is about 3,500 pages long.
During the investigation, the commission found the involvement of the Awami League in the brutal murder of the then BDR headquarters in Pilkhana. They said the main coordinator of the incident was the then MP Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh. The then Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, had a ‘green signal’ to carry out the entire incident. Apart from this, the commission has also found India’s involvement in the incident.
After submitting the report to the chief adviser, Chairman of the commission Major General (retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman presented various aspects of the investigation report at a press conference.
The commission president said the BDR killings were carried out to weaken the army and retain power. Several leaders of the ousted Awami League, including Sheikh Hasina, and the neighbouring country of India, are involved in the incident. Besides, there was anger among the BDR members over various issues, the commission chief said.
At a press conference, commission chief ALM Fazlur Rahman named some Awami League leaders involved in the killing. They are the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Awami League leaders Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mirza Azam, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and former home minister Sahara Khatun. Besides, former security adviser to Sheikh Hasina Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former army chief General Moin U Ahmed and former DGFI director general Lt Gen (retd) Lt Gen (retd) Lt Gen (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddique are also present at the meeting. General (retd) Mullah Fazle Akbar.
Chief Coordinator of the commission, Fazlur Rahman, said the investigation has found strong evidence of the direct involvement of external forces and the then ruling party, Awami League, in the BDR killing.
According to the information received from the press wing of the chief adviser, after submitting the investigation report to the chief adviser on Sunday afternoon, the commission member, Maj Gen (retd) Md. Jahangir Kabir Talukder said the murder was planned, and the then MP Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh played the role of the chief coordinator behind it. He also said the local Awami League played a direct role in protecting the people involved in the killing. They entered Pilkhana in a procession of 20-25 people, and there were more than 200 people in it when they came out.
Replying to a question about how the Awami League leaders coordinated the killings, Fazlur Rahman said, “It did not happen in a day; it happened for a long time. For example, Tapas sat in the mosque and held a meeting. Meetings have been held at various training grounds. The conspiracies have been going on for a long time. The murder took place in the end. Jahangir Kabir Talukder said that the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had a ‘green signal’ to carry out the whole incident.
In determining the responsibility of the incident, he said that the responsibility lies with the then head of the government and the army chief. It has been decided to resolve the matter politically. Police, RAB, and the intelligence agency, DGFI, have also failed miserably.
Jahangir Kabir Talukder also said that the role of some print and electronic media and some journalists was unprofessional during the incident. The exact names and information of the BDR members with whom Sheikh Hasina held a meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna (the residence of the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina) at the time of the assassination were not preserved.
India’s RAW involvement
At the press conference, the commission said that the neighbouring country, India, was involved in the incident and the instability of Bangladesh. It has benefited. Commission President ALM Fazlur Rahman said that at the time of the incident, about 921 Indians came to Bangladesh. There is no account of 67 people among them.
BDR members of BDR’s own detective agency (RSU) were directly associated with the revolt and therefore did not inform any Official of RSU about it.
Formation of a 24-member Indian hit team
In the presence of the then State Minister for Home Tanzim Ahmed Sohel Taj and Sheikh Selim, a meeting was held with a 24-member killer group of the Indian intelligence agency ‘RAW’. 20 Indian Army commandos and 4 RAW agents directly participated in the killings of Army officers.
After the meeting, the entire plan was finalised, and a coordination meeting was held at Taposh’s residence. Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh was responsible for allowing the BDR soldiers, including the killers, to escape safely. This information has come up in the investigation report of the BDR rebellion.
The investigation report also said that Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mirza Azam, Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh, Sheikh Selim, Leather Liton and Torab Ali were present at the meeting. When it was informed that the officers would be killed, Torab Ali objected. He said that officers could not be killed. Then Sheikh Selim addressed him as an old man and said, “You are old. You don’t need to be in it anymore.” Your son will have to stay with us.” Colonel Shams, the commander (CO) of the 44 Rifle Battalion, knew these things and also helped the soldiers meet Sheikh Selim and Taposh.
Hasina refused to help even after calling
On the day of the BDR massacre in Pilkhana, BDR Director General (DG) Major General Shakil Ahmed spoke to the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other senior officials over the mobile phone and sought help. On the morning of February 25, 2009, the Prime Minister talked to many people, including the Chief of Army Staff and the RAB DG. But none of the army and RAB members came to save them.
The Bangladesh Army, in coordination with the government, deployed tanks and helicopters to Pilkhana to contain the situation.
There was no coordinating body to liaise among the army, navy, air guard, RAB, and other law enforcement agencies and civil organisations to carry out an effective and fruitful joint operation, and no force was designated to lead it.
Since Bangladesh’s independence, corruption, ineptitude and graft have destroyed the army, navy and air guard, leaving Bangladesh’s land, air and sea completely unprotected, even with a $4.7 billion defence budget.
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