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captainJohann @ March 14, 2009 12:05AM HKT
The Mutineers had Saudi backing.The recent fire in Dacca mall had to be investigated thoroughly.The conspirators are doing everything except killing Haseena.
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Cross Culture
William Gomes
Bangladesh: a nation under conspiracy
Dhaka , Bangladesh, March 11 — The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) is a paramilitary force in Bangladesh in charge of guarding the country's borders. With a total manpower of 67,000 troops, organized into a central headquarters and various sectors, battalions and border outposts, mainly along the frontiers, BDR's primary task is to patrol and secure Bangladesh's 2,500-mile border with neighboring India and Myanmar.
The day after BDR Week 2009, a mutiny was staged from Feb. 25 to 27 in Dhaka, by non-commissioned officers of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) against their commanding officers of the Bangladesh Army. By the second day, the fighting had spread to 12 other cities and towns.
The Bangladesh Rifles issued a 22-point demand, which included the withdrawal of regular army officers and set original BDR members on the posts. Almost 150 Army officers who served in the BDR were killed by the regular BDR soldiers who mutinied against the senior officials, including the Dhaka BDR Sector Commander Colonel Mujib and the director general of the BDR, Major General Shakil Ahmed. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised amnesty for those who were willing to surrender, as well as tough action against anyone who held out.
On Feb. 27, 2009, the government announced two days of national mourning after scores of army officers were killed in the BDR mutiny. The same day, the government announced a new director general for the troubled border guards and said the general amnesty will not be for those who "directly" took part in killings.
Previously, between 1991 and 1996, the lower tier of the BDR had staged mutinies in Dhaka, Chittagong, Feni, Jessore, Khulna and Naogaon, expressing similar grievances. Those mutinies did not witness bloodshed and the paramilitary troops, or jawans, were assured of measures addressing their issues, which were ultimately shelved. The guards had been demanding improved pay and working conditions, and accused the director general of embezzling their wage bonuses.
The mutiny caused countrywide tension. The revolt of the BDR is a loud signal of widespread democratic defects in Bangladesh. Bangladesh had hardly come back to being a traditional democracy through the guardianship of the international community during the parliamentary elections of 2009. It was widely questioned whether the country is still under a military regime.
The role of the Army's powerful instrument, the military intelligence group Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), was also questioned by several MPs in the national parliament. The use of military intelligence in public matters was highly criticized and the MPs in the parliament demanded a ban on such activities. The role of the DGFI was questioned internationally over the issue of cross-border support of terrorist groups with the help of ISI, Pakistan's military intelligence. The DGFI operates different project against neighboring India in joint ventures with ISI.
During the Bangladesh Nationalist Party coalition government, the son of collaborator Golam Azam, the former Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Brigadier Azam Mir, served as chief deputy of the DGFI until 2007. Many Jamaat-backed people were placed in different important positions within the state's machinery, including the Army and other security forces.
It is believed that the present government was planning to bring war criminals to trial soon, so the Jamaat-e-Islami collaborated with its connections among Islamic officials, with the full planning support of ISI. Their main target was to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed.
As a result of Islamization and politicalization, the BDR was accused of helping illegal immigrants and smugglers cross the Indo-Bangladesh border. The BDR is frequently involved in skirmishes with its Indian counterpart, the Border Security Force (BSF). In the aftermath of the border skirmish at the Boroibari post in April 2001, the BSF lodged a report accusing the BDR of international war crimes for the "inhuman" killing of 16 BSF soldiers. Is this the same BDR that is well-known for its legacy of sacrifice and honor? BDR's members took up arms in a controlled manner against the Pakistan Army during the Liberation War of 1971. Several members earned awards for gallantry - for example, Lance Naik Nur Mohammad Sheikh and Lance Naik Munshi Abdur Rouf earned the highest gallantry award, the Bir Sreshtha; eight others were awarded the Bir Uttam, 40 others the Bir Bikram, and 91 the Bir Patik.
Now this same BDR has taken up arms to brutally kill army officials and innocent civilians. Before, they were accused of killing neighboring security officials, and now they are killing Bangladeshis. It's an open question before the nation: is Bangladesh moving towards another 1975 or towards civil war?
Keywords
Bangladesh India Bangladesh Rifles military killings
The day after BDR Week 2009, a mutiny was staged from Feb. 25 to 27 in Dhaka, by non-commissioned officers of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) against their commanding officers of the Bangladesh Army. By the second day, the fighting had spread to 12 other cities and towns.
The Bangladesh Rifles issued a 22-point demand, which included the withdrawal of regular army officers and set original BDR members on the posts. Almost 150 Army officers who served in the BDR were killed by the regular BDR soldiers who mutinied against the senior officials, including the Dhaka BDR Sector Commander Colonel Mujib and the director general of the BDR, Major General Shakil Ahmed. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised amnesty for those who were willing to surrender, as well as tough action against anyone who held out.
On Feb. 27, 2009, the government announced two days of national mourning after scores of army officers were killed in the BDR mutiny. The same day, the government announced a new director general for the troubled border guards and said the general amnesty will not be for those who "directly" took part in killings.
Previously, between 1991 and 1996, the lower tier of the BDR had staged mutinies in Dhaka, Chittagong, Feni, Jessore, Khulna and Naogaon, expressing similar grievances. Those mutinies did not witness bloodshed and the paramilitary troops, or jawans, were assured of measures addressing their issues, which were ultimately shelved. The guards had been demanding improved pay and working conditions, and accused the director general of embezzling their wage bonuses.
The mutiny caused countrywide tension. The revolt of the BDR is a loud signal of widespread democratic defects in Bangladesh. Bangladesh had hardly come back to being a traditional democracy through the guardianship of the international community during the parliamentary elections of 2009. It was widely questioned whether the country is still under a military regime.
The role of the Army's powerful instrument, the military intelligence group Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), was also questioned by several MPs in the national parliament. The use of military intelligence in public matters was highly criticized and the MPs in the parliament demanded a ban on such activities. The role of the DGFI was questioned internationally over the issue of cross-border support of terrorist groups with the help of ISI, Pakistan's military intelligence. The DGFI operates different project against neighboring India in joint ventures with ISI.
During the Bangladesh Nationalist Party coalition government, the son of collaborator Golam Azam, the former Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Brigadier Azam Mir, served as chief deputy of the DGFI until 2007. Many Jamaat-backed people were placed in different important positions within the state's machinery, including the Army and other security forces.
It is believed that the present government was planning to bring war criminals to trial soon, so the Jamaat-e-Islami collaborated with its connections among Islamic officials, with the full planning support of ISI. Their main target was to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed.
As a result of Islamization and politicalization, the BDR was accused of helping illegal immigrants and smugglers cross the Indo-Bangladesh border. The BDR is frequently involved in skirmishes with its Indian counterpart, the Border Security Force (BSF). In the aftermath of the border skirmish at the Boroibari post in April 2001, the BSF lodged a report accusing the BDR of international war crimes for the "inhuman" killing of 16 BSF soldiers. Is this the same BDR that is well-known for its legacy of sacrifice and honor? BDR's members took up arms in a controlled manner against the Pakistan Army during the Liberation War of 1971. Several members earned awards for gallantry - for example, Lance Naik Nur Mohammad Sheikh and Lance Naik Munshi Abdur Rouf earned the highest gallantry award, the Bir Sreshtha; eight others were awarded the Bir Uttam, 40 others the Bir Bikram, and 91 the Bir Patik.
Now this same BDR has taken up arms to brutally kill army officials and innocent civilians. Before, they were accused of killing neighboring security officials, and now they are killing Bangladeshis. It's an open question before the nation: is Bangladesh moving towards another 1975 or towards civil war?
KeywordsBangladesh India Bangladesh Rifles military killings
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