Bangladesh: Citizen Journalists Covering BDR Mutiny
Today morning Dhaka was rattled by a fierce gun battle inside the headquarters of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR – paramilitary border security force) situated in the heart of the capital. Rumors had started to fly and later it emerged that junior officers have taken control and locked up seniors officers in a mutiny. Gun and mortar shell firings were heard and local media reported that 3 civilians and 2 BDR officials have died. But the real toll can be way more as eyewitnesses saw more dead bodies being carried inside the BDR compound. The compound was circled by the security forces and the armed forces were sent in to quell the mutiny but the BDR members resisted them. BBC has posted some pictures and some background of BDR.
There was a crisis for information and the website of the country's major 24 hour online news source was inaccessible probably due to heavy traffic. That's where citizen journalists filled the void.
Civilians fleeing from the scene. Copyright Drishtipat and used with permission
Unheard Voice, the blog of the human rights group Drishtipat started live blogging almost instantaneously and many eyewitnesses updated in the comments section. Here are some eyewitness pictures posted in Unheard Voices blog.
There were questions all around why they mutinied and these could be gathered from the various citizen media sites in Bangla and English:
* The disparity between army pay scale and BDR pay scale was a sore point.
* Discrimination and mistreatment
* Corruption of BDR high officials especially in Operation Daal Bhaat
* No peacekeeping missions for them
Earlier in September 2008 some irregularities regarding Operation Daal Bhaat was highlighted in this Bangla Blog.
Here is a video of rebel soldiers placing their demands [bn] uploaded by YouTube user Azadvision:
Bangla Blogging platform Sachalayatan has been updating the news via posting phone reports from its citizen journalists in Dhaka. Some are updating the news via twitter like Asif Saleh and Rajputro.
BDFact has been updating on different issues:
The blogger placed some pertinent questions:
1. Did they ask for financial support and additional privileges? For how long these demands were made and not being addressed? Why? We need sequential stories.
2. All sector commanders were present in today's meeting at Darbar Hall. So, it cannot be the case that it was an accident. It must be a preplanned event. Who masterminded this? [..]
7. What is now happening outside capital? Do we know for sure if situation is under control, or not?
This is a defining moment for Bangladesh.
The blogger updates about the negotiation phase:
A 15-member BDR team, led by Nanok (state minister for LGRD), has moved to PM's house to start negotiation. Their immediate demand is to free BDR from military's control.
Meanwhile, UNB reported soldiers took control of Goalkhali BDR camp here after the revolt by their colleagues at the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters in Dhaka, triggering tensions through the southern city.
Journalists trying to cover and keep away from the firing. Copyright Drishtipat and used with permission
And in my own blog I have reported:
UNB ticker reporting: “PM announces amnesty for rebels; BDR delegation promises to surrender arms.”
LGRD's Nanok confirmed the amnesty after meeting of PM with BDR representatives. The Jawans promised that they will turn in arms (possibly by next morning. After Army and RAB are withdrawn). Rebel Jowans are claiming they were fired upon first, during meeting in the Darbar Hall in the morning.
A commenter at the Unheard Voices blog spells a hard truth:
This immediate acceptance of agenda set by the BDR also sends dangerous precedents for other groups to do the same thing if they feel marginalized. In Bangladesh, if no one listens to you then go on rampage and your demands will be met immediately. It’s been proven a successful strategy for the Students, Garment Workers, Political Parties, and now the BDR.
Ack Ack Gun on Satmasjid, Road 7A. Copyright Drishtipat and used with permission
Everything was calm and quiet in Dhaka in the evening and Rajputro sends this twitter message a while ago:
The situation is far from over and still volatile. Please keep an eye on the above mentioned citizen media sources to get the latest updates.
33 comments
An Extremely Upsetting and Bad Example
What is next? Waiting to see Police when they would revault and another amnesty comes up? Then the jawans of army will revault and another amnesty….then……good wishes who can give Jindabad to BDR……
We are nothing but a shameless nation…………….approximately 137 officers have been killed without justice and so brutally and sick people can give then Jinadabad……..Where is human rights this UNHEARD VOICE were fighting for?
We are possibly in the world of hipocrcy……the name Mirzafor possibly suits better for us. I don’t find anyone mourning the murtors of the Armed Forces and we demand ourselves to be an independent nation…..shame and hate those who could not learn to show respect the dead souls. Tonmoy
Dear Tonmoy,
By taking a strong stance against someone who said “BDR Jindabad” you just put yourself in the same category. Take it easy and look at this as ones point of view. As Clint Eastwood said in one of his movie “Opinion is like an #######, everyone has one”.
Don’t tell me that after seeing someone saying “Jindabad” you figured out that we live in a world of hypocrisy? It’s not that Mir-Jaffar suites us, don’t forget we are the descendants of Mir-Jaffar.
I would not use the term “Martyr” for the deceased Army/BDR officer/jawans. No disrespect for them, but they were casualties of a miserable, pathetic, heartless act. Someone can be considered as “martyr” when there is a noble cause. I don’t think there was any for their death. I wish and pray the best for the dead souls. By passing hatred to others, someone who does not necessarily agree with you does not makes you any different, or does it?
It is a shame when someone say’s Jindabad when 100+ bright lives were lost. Don’t forget many did say Jindabad after scores of intellectuals were murdered during the end period of our liberation war. At the same time, don’t blame BDR Jawans wholeheartedly because we literally pushed them to that corner.
At this moment, we have to keep our head cool, think positively, look at the whole situation, make necessary analysis, and take reasonable action. If that action is drastic and severe, I can live with that. Passing the blame on each other is something we should not do as this will not bring any good to anyone. But we should try to bring information like this as we may or may not know many things instead of passing hatred. I’ve learned many things over the past few days that I didn’t know before.
Hey, I cann’t undersand, why the BDRs are now being arrested? Is it wise? Can we feel safe while the boarders may remain unsafe? Wont there may more probability for uplifting the prices for our necessary commodities again? Some people always seek benifit. They may make hail the market again. How about the feelings, who are the relatives or neighbour of the BDR/BDR camp? Please Stop All sorts of Drama as a continuation…..
Corruption, Corruption and the Corruption is the root cause for breaking the system, chain of command or the harmony………….
BDR chaos is a costly example for the above moral.
One murder makes a villan, thousands a hero.
I believe this is as much true in Bangladesh than anywhere in the world. Almost everyone I am talking to since Wednesday seem to be sympathetic towords the BDR Jawans and support their armed out brust against their higher officials and their sudden attack on civilians.
What do we fear, or what do we hate. Is our hatred towards the army is so great that we will support any kind of protest against them? Or is it that we hate the country so much that we will let anything pass.
The incident of BDR is not only unforgiveable, but it also requires great reform among all the departments with uniform, alas that such a mutinay would brust amidst other organizations.
We are a third world nation and there are too many things that we need to do without. I don’t see anyone protesting or fighting in the streets because the Ministers residnece has 24 hours electric supply, when we, the tax payers and bill payers are having to live without.
I know there can be thousands of reasons for the outbrust, but there needs only one reason not to. NO ONE CAN HOLD THE LIFE AND SECURITY OF CIVILIAN HOSTAGE AND THE COUNTRY VULNARABLE FOR THEIR PAYCHECK DISPUTE.
A retired army (served BDR too as a CO) officer’s views on BDR mutiny who lost 6 of his batchmates!
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I am not finding my words to frame the sentences and really don’t know how to start. But you must know the truth. Just now I am back after listening from the eye witness. Yes, our beloved Enshad Bhai (Lt Col Enshad, Arty 1st BMA Long Course, ex FCC student) was possibly the second to be shot down. It would take long time to tell how it has started. You will come to know from electronic and print media. They shot DG BDR Maj Gen Shakil first (Innalillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajeun). Enshad bhai due to his appointment was close to DG. During that time there was an incoming call to his mobil phone set and hearing that sound of incoming call they shouted and fired him next (Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajeun). He was second person to be killed. As other officers were alive that time so they could understand the received 7 bullets and died instantly. If we want to know the exact time of his death then we may collect the print copy of his mobile number and count 2 seconds from that relating from the starting time of BDR DG’s Darbar, however, the life won’t come back. There are many other stories also known to me as I personally heard from the eyewitness. Your relatives may know many more information from Lt Col Qamruzzaman who is survived luckly despite that there were four attempts to kill him.
Please know that there were 168 officers present in the darbar where 30 officers were BDR officers (DAD or promotee officers). Rest all were army officers including who came from other 45 Battalions too for participating in Darbar and BDR week celebration. This strength (138 army officers) is confirmed.Now you already know how many dead bodies are recovered and how many officers are released alive. Initially they threw the dead bodies in the drain but once came to know from news that dead bodies are visible at certain points, then they possibly cut into pieces and then threw as small pieces while burned and buried rest of the bodies. They burned all officer’s cars (may be more than 30) and robbed 100% officers houses and taken away all valuable just as “Shontrashi”. DG Madam was brutally butchered and killed (they even told to other family members how she was killed just to make fun). I should not write details about those stories hear.
If any one really hope to listen the actual stories, please go to those who returned from Pilkhana or at least request your other known journalists or human rights workers so that country and the world knows these stories for any future justice.
I started typing this email 0105 hrs 27 Feb but writing now at 0945 hrs in the morning as I went to sleep in front of the Laptop as I was sleepless during all these crisis period. I was CO of two BDR battalions just before my retirement. If I didn’t retire after 25 years then by now I would also be at Pilkhana by now and face the same. So, many officers were personally known to me. I had the telephone numbers of almost all BDR officers and CO/ 2ic. So, once the Pilkhana and other Sector HQ command were gone, I tried to contact to many over phone (I now know that many other officers also tried to keep contact with their friends who were with 45 Battalions at different parts of the country border). We sympathetic officers tried to keep contact and advice them but surprisingly and most possibly, army from authority side, possibly didn’t gave them any directives regarding what to do (whether to still stay with the battalions or to leave the places to safer locations). I could understand the sentiment of around 100 officers who were present at Mirpur Cantonment after people from were brought there. Army Senior officers were in the inactive role during this crisis period. I saw our great FCC Maj Gen Iqbal Karim Bhuiya and the second senior most Lt Gen Jahangir too standing there silently as if they were also sympathetic visitors like we retired officers. As if they didn’t have any other role to play. I hard mid level officers talking that during this crisis period army higher ranking officers were busy with normal day to day office activities during this crisis period. Officers were desperate to express is if they were busy only to safe guard their own present rank, status and appointment. I leave behind only few questions to my reader:
1. Should we not find the stories how the rest dead bodies were hidden/ destroyed? The answer of these stories may only be known to those rebel BDR soldiers only.
2. How and who will identify the killers where all eye witnesses are killed? Who will cross examine? Will BDR DADs and soldiers give correct statements against their own defaulters? How neutral will be the investigation? What will be the status of General Amnesty where as such grave nature killing, and destruction have taken place??? How so many rebels could fly away where as govt’s so many agencies were deployed? How helped them in extrication?
3. Is the problem solved as told by the govt or just the starting of long going problems?
4. What are the loses to the nation of loosing so many high and mid level lives/ military professionals? Economic, political, security, diplomatic, etc losses including the reputation of the nation? The loss to their individual families and friends are of course well understood by all which can never be returned.
5. How to recover …… all?
My comments:
1. It is now known that most of the killings took place after the General Amnesty as rebel BDR soldiers thought killings every one will keep no eye witness. But now, could political solving save the life of many?Because many officers were alive until afternoon, so any strong and prompt deterrent military action would make rebels afraid and surrender/fly away (the way they have left the place now). In this way many other officer’s life could have been saved possibly. Because during that time those inside officers would also remain operationally cooperative. It is known that DG BDR had the reaction time to make telephone calls to PM, Home Minister, Army Chief and IGP requesting for prompt help (SOS message) before she was shot. And now the world has witness the nature of help that was extended to allow time to rebels even to kill the rest, destroy the dead bodies and leave the place peacefully. More or less 10 thousands were inside the Pilkhana for the BDR week (exact strength may be known from the previous day’s daily parade and ration strength). So many rebels were allowed to leave the place without arms where the nation news that RAB and army were cording the area.
2. Why people from 3 KM around were asked to leave the area at the last moment when it is already declared that rebels have surrendered their arms? Is it just for facilitating rebels to leave the place along with the general people when there is already rush of general people out side. Why only few are identified and captured enroute where as the whole nation knew that Pilkhana was surrounded by police, RAB and Army from the beginning?
3. As an ex military and BDR officer I would strongly comment that prompt military action was possibly the best option for keeping minimum loss in compare to what we have suffered now. In that case the BDR command could be restored by sorting out the rebels.
4. BDR can not be commanded with present DAD (promotee BDR officers) as it have to protect the International Border? I doubt whether or not other army General or officers would like to be re posted as BDR DG or CO/2ic/MO/OPS Officer/other appointments. If that will so, who will command 45 Battalions, 12 Sectors and HQ BDR??? Police/Anser/BCS/ Political leaders/ Other Officers????? Army officers had been commanding for so long operationally being successful according to BDR standard. But now, will the new/ adhoc command be successful while commanding this rebel BDR troops? Will the border remain secure at least like the past standard? Will the smuggling level remain under same level? My comment is “NO”.. the country and this BDR will have to pay a lot.
5. This incident/mutiny, the way it has unfolded until now, is of course was a master minded action by out side player.
6. PM, Home Minister, Army Chief and IGP didn’t do much to extend the help which DG BDR asked for before he was shot.
7. Please ignore any mistake from above writings which I typed being tired. However, please try to get the main points which I tried to high light. I will never argue with any one even if some one disagree my opinion. Hope readers would only consider these as my personal opinion. You may also ignore any other sensitive comments, according to your understanding, which I wrote with the mentality of loosing my 6 batch mates and other known brother officers. However, even if you write any thing in reply then we may understand each other’s view and learn more which is of course part of democratic process. I would always be sorry for any mistake/ wrong of my writing, if any.
a. My professional comments are backed by my four times experience of commanding two Army Infantry and Two BDR battalions as CO, Handling rebels at Mozambique(1994) and Liberia (2005-6) as UN Military observers for two years, 6-7 years of fighting counter insurgency at Chittagong Hill Tracts, two years BMA basic military training and 25 years military education and training while sensitive comments were due to missing of my so many long term good batch mates and other professional friends together as well as due to the “silent observer’s role of many senior officers” who could other wise do/suggest some thing else too. The information which are written were known by me personally while talking to other BDR officers and their families who could survive, army officers whom I talked physically.
b. Please, as a responsible citizen of the country, try to help govt agencies and the nation in providing the information/ knowledge/ experience/ suggestion/ idea/ opinion for quick recovery of missing persons/ dead bodies and lost weapons including the proper investigation with a view to take appropriate actions by the appropriate authorities and solve such problem permanently.
c. It is friday and so I have to go for prayer. ay the Almighty Allah bless us all, bless the departed souls, bless the families of departed souls, bless all the security forces, bless the nation Bangladesh.
Regards,
Lt Col (Retd) ………(Author prefers to be anonymous)
what has happened in one word unacceptable, perpetrators must be brought into justice ….but to avoid such outburst as a nation as a society, philosophically we need to reduce social injustice and establish social equity. We in general like …what we dont eat throw it to our servants (domestic helps) …then if servants can’t eat it either throw it to beggars come to our houses for food and money …if beggars by any chance can’t consume it then it is thrown to the stray dogs on the road ..I am just trying to say that we all ..pretty much exploit others with whatever power we have on the others who don’t have that, many of us fail to treat people with respect! in the west such exploitation occurs sophistically but in our countries very crudely …openly.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2009/feb/26/bangladesh?picture=343826213
Why don’t any Bangladeshi newspaper post such a picture to identify the red bandana guy?
Its a shame… its a shame. Its obvious that the BDR atrocity was not merely over their demand for better pay or ration but something that is not yet obvious.
I condemn the fierce killings of member of arm forces and their family that took place that day. Such brutal act cannot go unpunished.
The army has shown great patience and maturity in holding back their emotions and the way they dealt the situation.
Its undoubtedly remarkable the way the honorable PM Shekh Hasina handled the situation.
The country and all the political parties should now work together to identify the culprits and bring them to justice.
My heart goes out to all the souls that were lost and the family of the effected who have a difficult time ahead of them.