Bangladesh a Nation under blended conspiracy

Photo: Battles tanks and armoured vehicles moves into para-military border forces headquarters in capital Dhaka, after troops revolted against poor pay, corruption and militarisation of the nation

WILLIAM GOMES

BANGLADESH RIFLES (BDR) is a paramilitary force in Bangladesh known by the Bangladeshi as "The Vigilant Sentinels of Our National Frontier". With a total manpower of 67,000, 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 both neighboring India and Myanmar.

Day after the BDR Week -2009 a mutiny was staged from 25th to 27th February 2009 in Dhaka by non-commissioned officers of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) against their commanding officers of the Bangladesh Army. By the second the fighting spread to 12 other cities and town.

Bangladesh Rifles had brought a 22 point demand which include the withdrawal of regular army officer and set original BDR members on the posts. Almost 150 Army officers who served in BDR was killed by the regular BDR soldiers mutinied against the senior officials, including the Dhaka BDR Sector Commander Colonel Mujib and the Director General of BDR, Major General Shakil Ahmed. Prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, promised amnesty for those who surrendered and tough action against any holdouts.

In 27th February 2009, the government announced two days of national mourning after scores of army officers were killed in a BDR mutiny. In 27th February 2009 the government announced the a new director general for the troubled border guards Bangladesh Rifles 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 BDR had staged mutinies in Dhaka, Chittagong, Feni, Jessore, Khulna and Naogaon, expressing similar grievances.Those mutinies did not witness bloodshed and the 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 described revolt of BDR is a loud signal of wide democratic defect in Bangladesh. Bangladesh had hardly come back to its own traditional democracy with a traditional guardianship of International community through the parliament election 2009. But it was widely questioned that the country is still under technical military regime. On the other hand by the opposition party it was widely questioned about the election naming selection.

The role of powerful instrument of Army the military intelligence DGFI was even widely questioned by the several government MPs in the national parliament. The use of military intelligence in public matters was highly criticized and demanded to ban by the MPs in the parliament. The role of DGFI was internationally questioned on the issue of cross border terror patronization with the help of Pakistani military intelligence ISI. The DGFI operate different project against neighboring Indiajoint ventures with ISI.

During the BNP coalition government the son of collaborator Golam Azam, the former Jamait-e-Islami chief Brigadier Azam Mir serves as his chief deputy DGFI until 2007. Any many Jamat bcaked people were placed in different important place in the state machinery including the Army and other security forces.

This is highly believed that as the present government is plaming to bring the war criminal in trail soon so the Jamat- e –Islami collaborating with its channeled Islamic fascist officials in forces along with the full planning support of Pakistani intelligence ISI they plot this conspiracy against Bangladesh. Their main target was to kill the prime minister Sheik Hasina wazed .

But as a result of Isalmization and polaticalization the BDR accused of pushing illegal immigrants and aiding smugglers across the Indo-Bangladesh border. The BDR seems 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 First Information Report complaining of international war crimes against BDR for the 'inhuman' killing of 16 BSF soldiers. It’s a open question before the nation that is this the same BDR who are well known for its past 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 gallantry awards - for example, Lance Naik Nur Mohammad Sheikh and Lance Naik Munshi Abdur Rouf earned the highest gallantry award, the Bir Sreshtha; 8 others were awarded the Bir Uttam, 40 other the, Bir Bikram and 91 the Bir Patik.

Now this BDR took up arms to kill brutally the Army officials and innocent civilians. Before they were accused for killing of friendly neighbor security officals and now there are killing the Bangladeshi. It’s a open question before that nation is Bangladesh forwarding toward another 1975, the reputation of shameful history or forwarding towards civil war? #

William Gomes is an independent human rights activist, a Catholic ecumenical activist, and a political analyst. He is also the Executive Director of the Christian Development Alternative (CDA), a national organization against torture and human rights violations. He can be contacted at cda.exe@gmail.com