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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.
It was full of bizarre and ample confusion from the very first troubled moment. It took me some time to grasp the whole reality that in the heart of Dhaka city on broad day light the BDR top brass was mercilessly butchered by their own soldiers. More I see the mutilated dead bodies coming out from mass graves one after another some with instant identifications but many not -the question striking my mind was: is this at all necessary to achieve any objective? Besides the Bangladesh satellite channels that are accessible at my North American location, I was wondering and keep failing to justify the masked and red-bandana clad BDR soldiers justifications of doing all these mess on their commanders, who were serving BDR from army on deputation , corruption, misbehave and living luxurious life! Does anybody deserve such deadly atrocities on corruption charges like our BDR officers were dying in the hands of some so called “mutineers”? What some of the BDR troopers did like killing 150 people or more just being mad dogs can be considered a mutiny in any classical sense? Come on, this is not mutiny in any sense but a heinous criminal act rather a bunch of murderers became trigger happy and killed unarmed officers in festive mood.
But wait, I heard the ill-fate deceased DG Maj Gen Shakil managed to talk to prime minister, and army chief in the wee hours of the mess; may we know what exactly Maj Gen Shakil told them and what were immediate steps taken by these two top executives to save officers lives?
An attempt to deescalate the tension, as claimed by appropriate measures necessary for that very moment the head of the government offered general amnesty, fine but why don’t we demand to learn that at the time when one DAD Touheed and his fellow “mutineers” had the privilege to meet prime minister and demanding for amnesty why didn’t prime minister demand in return to directly talk to Maj Gen Shakil and his top men who were claimed to be kept “hostage” by Touheed and his fellow men? Why didn’t a general amnesty offer was made in return of Maj Gen Shakil and all other captives safe arrival at BDR’s Main Gate besides Touheed and all his men’s arms lay down and surrender to law enforcement peacefully? Instead the nation with prime minister’s trust on bunch of criminals, allowed phase 2 and 3 killings and lootings, I would say. As if it was a picnic and some opportunity for a target practice fun, more of how to kill unarmed population was simply carried out.
And how can a few thousand people simply flee from a secured and walled fort like compound just like magic? Was there anybody responsible for preventing bunch of criminals escaping no matter what we came to know about their atrocities at that moment?
Wait, where was Sohel Taj, who was visible frequently at all time but not with a white flag entering BDR compound instead Nanak and Azam with questionable integrity did the job?
Do we feel that DAD Touheed and his men fooled, bluffed and cheated the nation by lying that Maj Gen Shakil and BDR top brass were alive but reality was by then they were all brutally killed?
This has been a sad event, and I hope that justice prevails and helps us through. I am of the opinion that anyone who attacks any of our defence organisations be it the Army or the BDR should be automatically declared as the Enemy of the country, these people have sworn their lives for the defence of the country and we should stand by their side. In this particular attack, The Army officers died in the hands of their own – not in defence of the country. There are so many ways of showing grievience, a general strike could have been called etc. but murdering army officers is plain forward attack of the nation and they have demoted themselves to be traitors.
Everyone living abroad and affected by this, please show your respect by visiting your Bangladesh Embassy and laying flowers etc.
wondering what makes BDR to be so kind with Mr Kamruzzaman that he was the only one who is alive!!
If I feared a military coup here I would advocate firing the whole of the senior command of the military in advance and start over again. The long history of coup and new coup in countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan are proof that amnesties do not bring the military to an acceptable level of obedience to the civilian authorities. The alternative to a possible civil war is a recurring series of corrupt military regimes. A civilian government that cannot control its military forces should just give in and admit the army is running things and stop the sham of democratic government.
I’m sure you are following up on the horrible news about the carnage committed by BDR in Dhaka. Bangladesh. Needless to say, ever since Wednesday, 25th feb,09. my family living in a horrible nightmare, the respite of which is yet to come. Since my inlaws family, friend relatives live in Dhanmondi (very close to the Philkhana BDR cantonment), My family friends were unfortunate to be involved in this. On Wednesday, They have been told to leave work early after news break out of the BDR(Bangladesh Rifle) take over. On Thursday,They were all advised to leave their house for fear of possible altercation between the army and BDR. While they were leaving Dhanmondi, they saw 8 big tanks plowing the peaceful road of Dhanmondi and advancing towards BDR.
They’ll never forget such a fearful picture in the beautiful, sunny morning in Bangladesh. Even though I never experienced war at home front, but that day was as close as it gets. More than 100 officers have been killed and still 70 officers dead body is not found yet.
My prayer goes to all those brave,courageous and competent army officers who were sacrificed in the most heinous way for a crime they did not commit. Its time like this that makes you wonder about the humanity of these so-called human beings who could kill innocent people in such mindless acts. How can a person, that too your own country man do this to you? What are the reasons for doing so?
I’m sure all these questions are rocketing through the minds of those unfortunate family members who lost their love ones for a cause, that’s still remains a mystery.
I always felt I’m a lucky woman that I didn’t born in uganda, rwanda or bosnia or in latin america even not in pakistan or India and I’m a fortunate Bangladeshi woman. I liked the Bangladeshi peoples’ submissive character, their intelligence, dedication,sacrifice. and I also believe that they are gentile and not criminal… Whenever we discussed in the class with friends, peers, teacher about colonization, racism, slavery, hegemonic power, mass killing among the two groups. I always fwondered to think that since the beginning of the humanity, human kind were in a crusade to save their civilization. they built their history, tried to make life easy for their future generation with their dedication sacrifice.
But I wondered to know that rape was a weapon what was being used during the rwanda genocide. 250,000 women were the victim of aids/hiv. they committed this crime to their loved one to wife to friend, to own people.
I feel shame when I discus and talk about the picture on women violence in Bangladesh. how they mutilated their beutiful face by acid. It was a henious crime I’ve ever heard.
I ask myself where is huminity. why I’m studying? I know it is building , creating my mental decolonization, I’m in the process of awarness and cosciousness. What I’ll do, how I’ll creat a beautiful world. How I can change this world, yes! it is a huge work, lets start now. we need to build strong, democratic will in eveyone. Though finally, it has to be political WILL.
I had a hope, and there was a possibility and probability. now I’m in fear, Now I’m ambiguous. I’m shocked at the momentum . I’m hoping no more blood shade in my country to my people. It is time to question ourselves where we belong how we can educate ourselves to create a beautiful world, I’m craving for a change among humanity in a good way. During 1971 the people of this country, who fought for saving a life of a child, saving a smile of her mother, saving a flower!
It has been a symbolic war for the nation. And again we need to go back there to be united.
pamelia
I’m sure you are following up on the horrible news about the carnage committed by BDR in Dhaka. Bangladesh. Needless to say, ever since Wednesday, 25th feb,09. my family living in a horrible nightmare, the respite of which is yet to come. Since my inlaws family, friend relatives live in Dhanmondi (very close to the Philkhana BDR cantonment), My family friends were unfortunate to be involved in this. On Wednesday, They have been told to leave work early after news break out of the BDR(Bangladesh Rifle) take over. On Thursday,They were all advised to leave their house for fear of possible altercation between the army and BDR. While they were leaving Dhanmondi, they saw 8 big tanks plowing the peaceful road of Dhanmondi and advancing towards BDR.
They’ll never forget such a fearful picture in the beautiful, sunny morning in Bangladesh. Even though I never experienced war at home front, but that day was as close as it gets. More than 100 officers have been killed and still 70 officers dead body is not found yet.
My prayer goes to all those brave,courageous and competent army officers who were sacrificed in the most heinous way for a crime they did not commit. Its time like this that makes you wonder about the humanity of these so-called human beings who could kill innocent people in such mindless acts. How can a person, that too your own country man do this to you? What are the reasons for doing so?
I’m sure all these questions are rocketing through the minds of those unfortunate family members who lost their love ones for a cause, that’s still remains a mystery.
I always felt I’m a lucky woman that I didn’t born in uganda, rwanda or bosnia or in latin america even not in pakistan or India and I’m a fortunate Bangladeshi woman. I liked the Bangladeshi peoples’ submissive character, their intelligence, dedication,sacrifice. and I also believe that they are gentile and not criminal… Whenever we discussed in the class with friends, peers, teacher about colonization, racism, slavery, hegemonic power, mass killing among the two groups. I always fwondered to think that since the beginning of the humanity, human kind were in a crusade to save their civilization. they built their history, tried to make life easy for their future generation with their dedication sacrifice.
But I wondered to know that rape was a weapon what was being used during the rwanda genocide. 250,000 women were the victim of aids/hiv. they committed this crime to their loved one to wife to friend, to own people.
I feel shame when I discus and talk about the picture on women violence in Bangladesh. how they mutilated their beutiful face by acid. It was a henious crime I’ve ever heard.
I ask myself where is huminity. why I’m studying? I know it is building , creating my mental decolonization, I’m in the process of awarness and cosciousness. What I’ll do, how I’ll creat a beautiful world. How I can change this world, yes! it is a huge work, lets start now. we need to build strong, democratic will in eveyone. Though finally, it has to be political WILL.
I had a hope, and there was a possibility and probability. now I’m in fear, Now I’m ambiguous. I’m shocked at the momentum . I’m hoping no more blood shade in my country to my people. It is time to question ourselves where we belong how we can educate ourselves to create a beautiful world, I’m craving for a change among humanity in a good way. During 1971 the people of this country, who fought for saving a life of a child, saving a smile of her mother, saving a flower!
It has been a symbolic war for the nation. And again we need to go back there to be united.
I think Bangladeshis should keep the option of moving to a developed country as an option for the safetly of their loved ones and family. Atleast this would give a the coming generation a brighter future and something look forward to.
Hey folks, get a load of this: my gut feeling says that the Israeli Secret agents and the CIA are the masterminds behind the gruesome killing of those Bangladeshi Army Officers including some innocent people at the BDR headquarters in Dhaka. Let me navigate you through what I think about them and how they relate to that massacre.
The CIA and the Israeli Secret Agents are using India as a stepping stone to perpetrate their dreadful crimes especially in Pakistan and now they have made their way into Bangladesh. Poor Benazir Bhutto! How she became a pawn in the game of American CIA‘s conspiracy and gave her life. Pakistan as a nuclear-power nation is in the way of Israel’s plan to attack on Iran. So they want to disintegrate Pakistan strategically. You guys remember, the Jewish reporter came into Pakistan and he ended up being killed there. He was secretly working for the CIA for quiet some time and he went there on a secret mission. Apparently he was acting there as a decoy journalist. Anyway you know the rest.
You know Henry Kissinger who was one of the masterminds behind the US-Iraq war, and you know about John F. Kennedy’s assassination. That same Henry Kissinger the lowest of the low, also was behind the assassination plot of John F Kennedy. John F. Kennedy vehemently tried to stop Israel to build a nuclear bomb of which the technology they got from the French. They killed John F. Kennedy to clear their way in order to push ahead with their secret mission of making a nuclear bomb. They successfully set up someone else for the killing of J. F Kennedy. In recent history they did the 9/11 attack on American soil and so easily they got away with it, and what’s more they capitalized on it big time.
In general, Americans do not like the Jew and Israel “the freeloader“. Israel has been using America as its cash cow for years. They know, the Jews in America are an increasing threat to the very survival of America and its culture, social values, reputation, etc. and they along with Israel are harming them and their country tremendously. Unfortunately, the Americans are helpless. Because the US congress and the Senate are manipulated by the American and Israeli Jews. Moreover, they have taken almost all the control of the FBI, CIA, and NSA. Keep in mind that it is not the American people who want to harm us; it is the CIA, Israeli Secret Agents and the American Jews. Look, it is not that I am trying to clue you in on their secret vicious plans. You could find them out for yourselves. It is all out there. Just visit this website http://www.americancivilrightsreview.com/jewwatch.htm or jewwatch.com and delve into them.
Now they are trying to polarize our country in order to destroy the strong unity we have as a Moslem nation. In Israel’s view Bangladesh with a large Moslem population is a big threat to be reckoned with. And what makes it worst is that we align with the Palestinians in principle for their fight with Israel. So it is their vested interest to destabilize our country. Here is a tip for Pakistan, “you must ask Russia and China for help before it is too late“.
To bring in FBI and British personnel for the investigation will only add a much larger peoples’ disbelief to the investigation. We all know what they are up to. We very much hope that Bangladesh would approach Russia and China for technical assistance with respect to conducting an impartial and honest full-scale investigation into that killing spree.
The point I am trying to make here for all Bangladeshi citizens is that gentlemen, enemies are gaining on us. Let’s not turn against each other rather pull together on our national interest and become much stronger as a nation. This is the time to settle all our differences. We should rise above all bickering, mudslinging and hating each other. It is imperative that we be very vigilant at this time and raise an awareness among our people of all potential vicious crimes that can be committed on our soil by our foreign enemies. Finally, let’s wait around for the results of those investigations to come out.