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84 more Bangladeshi soldiers sentenced for BDR mutiny

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, May 11, IRNA -- A paramilitary court on Wednesday jailed 84 more soldiers for different terms for their role in the 2009 mutiny at Bangladesh Rifles force, bringing the total number of sentenced rebel border guards to 2,088.

The carnage at the paramilitary force killed 74 people, including 57 army officers serving the frontier force.

'They are convicted as all evidence... proved beyond doubt the charges against all the 84 accused soldiers of BDR Dhaka Sadar Sector,' said judge of the special BDR court Colonel Iftekharuddin Mahmud in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, pti reported.

23 of the convicts were handed down the highest seven years of jail term under the BDR Act while others were given lesser jail terms ranging from four months to six years.

Mahmud, however, added that the service records of the accused and their role or that of their close family members were taken into consideration in delivering the judgement.

The judge acknowledged that the video footages taken by journalists during the worst ever rebellion were admitted as crucial evidence of the trial.

The trial was staged at the makeshift court at BDR's Pilkhana headquarters, the scene of the February 25-26, 2009 carnage. The barefooted accused appeared in plainclothes in handcuffs and shackles from different jails under strict security vigil.

The judgement came under a parallel trial process that is on in 11 paramilitary courts across the country under the BDR Act.

The 848 main suspects in the mutiny await indictment in a civil court in Dhaka under the tougher Penal Code under which death penalties can also be given for murdering military officers.

A BDR spokesman said 2,088 rebel frontier guards belonging to 48 units across the country have already been jailed for different terms while 3,958 more await trial under in the 11 paramilitary courts.

The rebels went on a killing spree during the 33-hour revolt at their headquarters. The then BDR chief Major General Shakil Ahmed and the border guards Dhaka sector chief Colonel Mojibul Haque were also killed.

The bodies of army officers were later dumped in sewers and shallow graves.

The mutiny swiftly spread to BDR's regional headquarters and units across the country, with thousands of guards taking up weapons against their commanding officers though they killed none outside Dhaka.

The rebellious soldiers at that time had claimed that a sense of 'deprivation' had prompted them to stage the mutiny.

They demanded the frontier force be freed from 'military domination'. Eight civilians, eight BDR soldiers and an army soldier were also killed apart from the 57 military officers.