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BDR Mutiny, Carnage Cases

Trials may end this year

Shariful Islam and Mahbubur Rahman Khan
Three years after the Pilkhana bloodbath in the capital, officials hope trials of all the cases filed for mutiny and carnage by border troops will be completed this year.
Such optimism comes despite the fact that only 45 witnesses have testified against 275 accused since the trial of the biggest ever carnage case in the
country's history began on January 5 last year.
Prosecution in the case believes that taking depositions of around 475 out of 1,285 witnesses would be enough to prosecute all the 850 accused in the case.
The February 25-26 mayhem inside the then BDR Pilkhana headquarters left 57 top and mid-ranking army officers and 17 civilians dead in 2009. The mutiny that broke out at the force's headquarters in the capital quickly spread to other units across the country.
Meanwhile, family members of the slain army officers have expressed frustration over the delay in trying the culprits and demanded that justice be delivered as quickly as possible.
"Seeing other children run to their fathers and hug them on their coming home, my seven-year-old son asks me why his father does not come home. My heart shatters every time he asks that," said a widow of a slain major, requesting anonymity.
The mother has so far managed to keep it from her child that his father is no more.
"At least it would be a solace to see my husband's killer get punished," she
added.
Widow of a slain colonel expressed dismay as the demands for buildinga monument in memory of the murdered officers and announcement of February 25 as a national mourning day are yet to be met.
Mosharraf Hossain Kajol, prosecutor of the case, said, “The way the trial is advancing, I believe the carnage case will be completed by this year."
He added that if the testimony of two or three witnesses can prove the involvement of an accused in the crime, the prosecution may not call more witnesses to establish the offence of the same accused.
But it is for the court to decide whether the testimony of two or three witnesses is sufficient, Kajol toldThe Daily Star.
After 17 months' investiga-
tion, the Criminal Investigation Department initially charged 824 BDR soldiers and civilians in the carnage case. Another case was filed against 807 BDR personnel, who are also accused in the carnage case, and a civilian under explosives act.
Following a court order, the CID on March 20 last year submitted two supplementary charge sheets in the two cases implicating 26 more mutineers.
Both the cases are under trial in the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court, Dhaka.
A few months after the rebellion, special courts were set up to try 6,045 accused mutineers of 57 units of the erstwhile BDR across the country. Beginning on November 24, 2009, trial of 3,036 mutineers of 51 units has been completed.
Of them, 2,959 BDR jawans were given different terms in prison ranging from three months to seven years. The special courts acquitted the rest 77, who later rejoined the force.
At present, 2,932 alleged mutineers from different units in Pilkhana are being tried in five special courts.
"We are convinced that the trial of the remaining mutiny cases will be completed by August this year," said a top Border Guard Bangladesh official, wishing anonymity.
According to a government probe committee report, BDR jawans' pent up anger over non-implementation of their various demands, including restructuring of their salary, increasing border allowance, sending them to the UN Mission and giving them 100 percent ration, led to the mutiny.