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Some 250 BDR men still on the run

New chief holds a coordination meeting with surviving officers today

Julfikar Au Manik
Around 250 suspected mutineers of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) are soil on the run defying government orders to get back to barracks.
The Daily Star has obtained the rough figure from army officers preparing a list of the paramilitaries who were at the Pilkhana headquarters during the bloody mutiny that left dozens of their commanding officers from the army killed on February 25-26.
Meanwhile, new BDR Director General Brig Gen Md Mainul Islam has asked the surviving army officers, deputed to BDR. to convene at Senakunja in Dhaka cantonment this morning.
He told The Daily Star yesterday that
BDR has lost all its 12 sector commanders and chiefs of several battalions based in the capital and elsewhere.
The remaining battalion commanders and staff officers from the battalions that do not have any commanding officer at present will participate in the coordination meeting.
"Objectives of the meeting are to assess the situation, strengthen coordination within the force and give necessary directives," Brig Gen Mainul said.
An officer involved in the rescue operation last night said, "Roughly speaking, I'd say around 7,500 BDR men were supposed to be inside Pilkhana during the carnage. We need a few more days to have
the exact figure."
As of yesterday afternoon, a notice board at the BDR headquarters showed around 1,500 border troops missing. That number was based on a sketchy estimate that around 9,000 paramilitaries were in the Pilkhana compound when the deadly revolt broke out.
However, late at night, the officials concerned revised that figure down to 7,250. .Around 250 BDR personnel might have been on leave at that time.
"Though our notice board still shows 1,500 missing, the number would come down to around 250," said an army officer.
In the week following the end of mutiny, news reports citing primary investigations said at best 200 mutineers
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had been directly involved in the vicious killings, looting, arson and other crimes during the fateful 33 hours at the BDR headquarters.
Another officer concerned said some 451 rebels stayed put at Pilkhana after laying down arms in response to the prime minister's general amnesty, but the rest 6,750 escaped.
“Those who surrendered on announcement of the amnesty have been kept in BDR hospital," he continued.
Following the government notice for them to report for duties within 24 hours ending at 4:00pm on March 1, around 6,500 BDR men returned to the headquarters.
"Around 250 border guards who did not get back to barracks yet will be considered deserters," noted the officer.
Around 6,500 BDR troops who had fled despite the amnesty but later joined in response to the 24-hour notice will be considered to haw been 'absent without leave', he added.
According to rules and regulations of the force, they will face minimum 15 days' rigorous imprisonment and maximum 28 days’ for absence without permission.
Sources said the BDR DG can hand down an offender up to seven years'rigorous imprisonment for grievous offences like mutiny.
If those at large return they will face departmental actions both for not joining in time and mutiny.
The officials are preparing a detailed list of border guards who were inside the headquarters during the mutiny and from where they came.
"Of the 7,500 troops, more than half were from battalions based in Dhaka. Some of them were staying at Pilkhana as it was their station, while some were there for training and other purposes," said an army officer.
The remaining BDR jawans came from battalions outside thecapital.
"We are working to draw up separate lists of those who were in Darbar Hall when the mutiny began and those who were inside the compound at that time,’he added.
They are also making lists of weaponry to know the volume of firearms and ammunition mutineers used in the butchery and took away while fleeing
Meanwhile, the BDR DG told The Daily Star (hat families of those who have reported back in compliance with the government s instructions need not worry.
He said it would take some time to create order and control in BDR whose system has suffered a huge shock.
"The troops and their families will surely get their salary and rations. We arc trying our best to ensure those for them as soon as possible."
DG Mainul urged all staff of the border force to cooperate in the investigation and efforts to hunt down the culprits in the massacre.
The BDR authorities might soon issue a circular to that effect.