Photo: Those accused of taking part in the mutiny will face a range of charges, including conspiracy to kill officers and civilians, using weapons and explosives and trying to hide bodies.
EVEN AS the corpses of 56 army officers—victims of a mutiny on February 25th and 26th by Bangladesh’s paramilitary border force—were being retrieved from a mass grave and sewers in Dhaka, the conspiracy histories were being written.
Rabid nationalists, on the fringe of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), blamed India for the uprising, which occurred at the huge headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) force, then flared at paramilitary camps around the country. Some also accused the ruling Awami League party of plotting it, to rid the 45,000-strong Rifles of the army officers who lead them, and create a private political army. Others blamed some faction within the regular army, which has bred over a dozen coup attempts in Bangladesh’s short history. Indian newspapers, just for a change, pointed the finger at Pakistan. After all, the League’s two-month-old government, led by Sheikh Hasina Wajed, wants better relations with India.
But in the absence, so far, of any evidence for these theories, another, almost-equally bizarre, explanation seems possible: that the mutiny, which claimed 74 people in all, including two army wives, was a scarcely planned act of madness by some hot-tempered men with guns.
The shooting began during, or shortly after, a meeting of several thousand BDR soldiers with their top brass. At the meeting, the paramilitaries voiced old grievances about their low pay and inferior status, as compared with the pampered army’s. A posse of BDR men carrying automatic rifles interrupted it. Most, or all, of the dead officers were killed within an hour or two. But the mutineers—and their startled comrades, a much bigger group—held out for another 30 hours, while government emissaries urged them to surrender. Sheikh Hasina promised them an amnesty. Yet the BDR gave up their weapons only when the army sent in the tanks and Sheikh Hasina threatened to use them.
She has emerged from this crisis with her reputation enhanced. Having recently ended two years of rule by army-backed technocrats, during which she was jailed on corruption charges, Sheikh Hasina has reason to fear the generals. Yet she co-operated with them during the mutiny. When army officers began to rage at the killing of their comrades, especially as the bodies were disinterred amid excited casualty reports, she announced that there would be no amnesty for the killers, including five alleged ringleaders arrested this week.
But hopes that the crisis might lead to better relations between the mutually-loathing main parties have already been dashed. Having quietly supported the government while the bullets were flying, the BNP reverted to oppositional type this week, calling for the resignation of the home minister. Indeed, when Sheikh Hasina warned of more mutinous trouble on March 3rd—“The game is still on and the conspirators are not taking a break”—it might have been her political opponents she had in mind. #
First published in The Economist, March 5, 2009
Undisciplined and unhealing horror and ministers didn't resign.
ReplyDeleteIt is no more the land where I was born. Power greedy, money hungry, ambitious people with wrong culture and tradition occupied the country. I suffered enough and ended up in hospital. Dhaka is a polluted city and there are dusts, mosquitos, virus and bactarias everywhere. To live a healthy and civic life is impossible there. How strange! Bangladesh got a Government but citizens cross streets in their own risks because Government doesn't care to install any traffic lights in major 'street crossing places'. Cities don't have enough roads but a big number of public drive cars, bumper to bumper, like characters in Cartoon movies. They made buildings but regime doesn't provide with electricity for peoples breathings by fans, by air-conditions. Citizens burn inside their homes and there is a outcry on this. Governments are failed governments in there but voters still vote same old people/party for few bucks or for valueless cheap patriotism. They don't have any system amongst, the judicial system of the country is the worst. Briberies, injustice, delayed procedure, buying justice etc. are in court premises. Citizens don't have rights to their own properties. Even the police doesn't do anything about illegal possession of property. Thanks god that I left that 'cursed' Bangla land. The country took the blood of my father in 1971. The country is like a hell on earth. It's terrible there. In the past, people killed their 2 presidents and many others. Government acts like a 'Gangster' there. Almost a year ago, they threw their 2 prominent ex prime ministers in jail for doing disgusting corruption. Military already leaked out their crimes and brought to the attention of the whole world about how much corruption past administrations did. Srangely, regimes in power, even military dared to destroy the reputation and or image(if there was any) of their own governments and of the country. I think, new govt. got hands with the Army chief to come to power. Bangladesh Army never had a good reputation. It wouldn't surprise me to think that they orchestrated the recent lacrymal killings of the para-military's(border police)top officers in their own head quarter because of few hidden agendas or for greater interests of the newly elected Government. None needs to be genius to figure out how many billions of USD could have smuggled between India and Bangladesh in distracting BDR to a nonsense bloody drama. The simple math is, someone might have got the benefits of the cowardly killings of felloow men. State minister Sohel Taj Didn't have a life and death sickness and He even was the main guy in the BDR which was under his own command and ministry. But how dare who gave him a leave and none said a word about his absence during the messacre. He should be a prime suspect. But in Bangla country question always remains, "Who will bell the cat"? The lady Home Minister and this guy should have resigned immediately after the BDR massacre for their failure to stop such a barbaric incident. But why would they? Because they are the people who masterminded such a cowardly act. It is indeed a mystery. Isn't it? The other genious guy, commerce minister Faruque immediately pointed finger at the dead ducks. It seemed that he knew all before! Nonesense! Lets do some more homeworks. Present governmental people made black money in the past and still doing the same. There is nothing good about them. Hence, leading a civic life is impossible in Bangladesh. There are Buildings, bricks and pollutions everywhere. Citizens are suffocating in their homes and rulers are not going to proper direction. Their hands are not clean and are stained with blood. I am sorry as I had to tell my anguish and opinion about Gangsters of Bangldesh.