Dhaka Bureau: 15 years ago today, one of the worst BDR rebellions in the history of Bangladesh took place. This shameful incident took place at the headquarters of BDR (now BGB) in Pilkhana, Dhaka. Durbar was going on in Pilkhana that day. Several erstwhile BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) jawans spoke against high-ranking army officers at the beginning of the Durbar. The then Director General of BDR, Major Shakeel Ahmed, spoke after the jawans’ speech. On February 25, 2009, the jawans took the director general and other senior officers hostage inside the auditorium and fired shots. This started the BDR rebellion.
The sound of gunfire in Pilkhana that day spread throughout Bangladesh. Ruthless soldiers killed 57 soldiers, one by one, that day. A total of 74 people lost their lives in the uprising that took place on February 25 and 26.
Even after 15 years of the Pilkhana tragedy, no case has been finally resolved. Among the two cases filed in this regard, the murder case is pending hearing in the Appellate Division. The trial of the Explosives Act case, which started in 2011, is at the stage of taking evidence in the Dhaka court. After the verdict of the High Court in the murder case, there was no hearing in the Supreme Court in 6 years. However, the state party hopes that the appeal hearing can begin within this year. According to the expectations of the accused, a separate bench will be formed by increasing the number of judges in the Appellate Division, and there will be a speedy hearing system.
On that day, at 9:27 in the morning, during the annual Durbar of BDR, a group of rebel soldiers entered the Durbar Hall. One of them pointed a gun at the chest of the then-Director General (Shakil Ahmed). The most brutal event in history began. Later, the soldiers killed the army officers and took the family hostage. A frightening situation was created in the whole pillkhana. The insurgents took control of the four entry gates and started firing in the surrounding areas. Army officers continued to fire in and around Durbar Hall. The rebellion ended 36 hours after the incident. Pilkhana turned into a bloody wasteland. Later, a mass grave was discovered inside the Pilkhana. The dead bodies of army officers were recovered there. 57 army officers, one army officer, two army officers’ wives, nine BGB members, and five civilians were killed in this 36-hour massacre. The High Court sentenced 139 people to death, 185 to life, and 200 to various terms in the case filed in this much-discussed incident (the Pilkhana murder case).
According to court sources, after a long trial and verdict, the High Court announced the full verdict of the Pilkhana murder case on January 8, 2020. In this incident, on February 28, 2009, two cases of murder and explosives were registered at the Lalbagh police station in the capital. Later, these cases were transferred to the Newmarket police station. After a long investigation, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police filed a charge sheet against 824 people, including 23 civilians, in the murder case. Later, 26 more names were included in the supplementary charge sheet, increasing the number of accused to 850. Besides, CID issued a charge sheet against 80 people in the case under the Explosives Act. Later, 26 more people were accused, and a supplementary charge sheet was issued against a total of 834 people.
The judge of the Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court of Dhaka, established in the Alia Madrasa field of Old Dhaka in the capital, Md. Akhtaruzzaman announced the verdict in this shameful murder case on November 5, 2013. The verdict sentenced 152 to death, 160 to life, 256 to varying terms of imprisonment (from three to 17 years), acquitted 278, and four were acquitted because they died during the trial.
After the verdict of the court, the death reference goes to the High Court. Apart from this, the accused have appealed against the sentence and jail appeal at various times. Of these, 69 people were acquitted by the state. The Supreme Court took special initiative to hear this important case.
In December 2015, the then Chief Justice constituted a special bench to hear the death reference and appeal of the case. In January 2015, the hearing on the death reference and appeal in this case, the largest in terms of the number of accused in the history of the country, began.
All those sentenced to death were members of the Bangladesh Border Guard Force (then BDR). Former BNP MP Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and Awami League leader Torab Ali are among those sentenced to life imprisonment. Among these, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu died of heart disease in Rajshahi jail on May 3, 2015.
The High Court verdict upheld the death sentences of 139 of the 152 convicts sentenced to death by the trial court. At the same time, the death sentence of eight persons was reduced to life, and four persons were acquitted.
In addition, the High Court upheld the sentences of 146 of the 160 accused, who were given life imprisonment in the judicial court. Of these, two accused died, and 12 were acquitted.
The BDR’s organizational structure broke down in the Pilkhana rebellion. BDR reconstruction work has started. BDR’s name, uniform, logo, and organizational structure were changed. BDR was renamed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). Changed their laws.
The Inter-Services Public Relations Department, or ISPR, has informed us that the army will lay wreaths at the Banani military cemetery at 9 a.m. on this day in memory of the martyred soldiers.
The Bangladesh Awami League will pay tribute to the soldiers who died in the BDR rebellion in 2009 at Banani Military Cemetery at 9 a.m. In addition, BGB is scheduled to hold various programs on Sunday and Monday (February 25 and 26) to commemorate this day.
