The Day After
New thread started at http://unheardvoice.net/blog
Listen to BBC Bangla now: Click on probaho:
http://bbcbangla.com
7:34: BBC quotes government source and says the mutiny is over: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7912392.stm
7:30 PM: Some BDR jawans are trying to escape in civilian dress. They are brought in at Abahoni field camp. ATN interviewing live some of the officers who were captured. Shocking tales of brutality on them.
Police IGP has excused himself from duty today to deal with personal tragedy of losing his son in Law. His daughter was married to him in January.
6.44 pm
Rumi Ahmed analyses from Dhaka:
The BDR mutiny is over ( at least in Dhaka). the best case scenerio seems to have happened..
1. BDR surrendered to political ladership
2. Political leadership took control and ran the negotiation. even ex military men were not visible.
3. Army action was also allowed to take place. But with minimum risk of casuality..
6.38 pm
A UV regular (and a media star who likes to remain anonymous): looks like the PM’s but don’t waste your time or your hospital bills trying to test me, y’heard? dont gamble with ya health, nig***z. if we have to come in after you, its ON beyotches! speech worked.
6.31 pm
BDR gate area has no BDR personnel guarding the gates any more. No firing. 19 officers released so far.
6.03 pm
RAB has arrested 27 BDR in nawabgonj area – Banglavsion
white flag flying over pilkhana – Banglavision
5.52 pm
Diganta TV showed footage of BDR members simply climbing over the gates and alking through population centres after giving up their arms. Covered their faces when they saw cameras.
5.48 pm
A dose of humour for stress relief. Shahrier Kabir tells BBC that Jamaat might be behind this. At least one Indian channel has reported this too. Of course one can equally speculate about India’s role too — border guard bhenge gele kaar laav? Meanwhile a UV regular tells me: shob dosh Hyder Husyn er, oi beta BDR niye gaan likhsilo!
5.38 pm
300 or so troops on standby with mortar arund Rd 4a.
5.36 pm
http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=5anak0&s=5
5.28 pm
Channel 1 showing footage again of terror-stricken people fleeing dhanmondi – past Anam plaza, past the eidgah – while the army moves all along the lake
5.23 pm
Asaduzzaman Noor gives good news from inside Pilkahana: http://www.somewhereinblog.net/blog/alamgirkumkum/28916978
5.06 pm
The rebels were given time to surrender arms by 4 pm. The time has now passed. That’s why army has position. Waiting for the go order. 160 officer posted inside Pilkhana, 150 unaccounted.
Two sources report: “BDR HQ has raised the white flag of surrender.” — 1 twit/ 1 quoting Banglavision
Good news is army is still moving in under government direction.
Shahara khatun entered bdr 15 mins ago with nanok, and mirza azam according to nTV
channel 1 reports locals in hajaribagh area, gate 5
bdr jowans are escaping in civil dresses
5.01pm
according to chn 1 govt envoy is again meeting with bdr team in ambala inn
4.55 pm
channel 1 has report with footage of BDR rebellions in other areas, including all 19 camps in Sathkhira where we have a large border
Satkhira, Jessore in south
Nowga, Chapai in north
syhlet, srimongal in northwest
chittang, feni, cox’s bazar in south
4.44 pm
RTV – chaotic scenes at gate #3
army moving in
but crowds of people who live in the neighbourhood fleeing
they’re on the streets with families carrying bags
Military and RAB have moved in through gate # 3. BDR retreated to gate #1. Another troop of army moved near gate #1. Curfew like situation near all the gates. Diganta TV reports
there is no news from outside dhaka, no channels are updating on that
4.44 pm
4.39 pm
RTV – all quiet at pilkhana
channel 1 – 8-9 tanks in front of abahani
4.29 pm
Army marching on Dhanmondi streets. Bangla Vision reports army has taken position in new market / nilkhet.
4:15 pm: Hasina’s really good speech online. Watch here
4.14pm
Tanks seen around gabtoli, moving from Savar into Dhaka.
3.57pm
one channel says – tapas has asked his constituents to be safe
another – tapas has asked his constituents to keep their distance
yet another – tapas has asked armed forces to move their constituents to safety
air force dropped leaflets inside BDR – ISPR
3.23 pm
ETV showing dhanmondi residents around pilkhana being evacuated. police are helping, though some may be fleeing of their own accord. Security around PM’s residence suddenly increased. the AL leadership was there all morning
3.17 pm
A most telling bunch of tweets at http://twitter.com/TheTravlnAzn h/t bardmarsh.
3.07pm
Boishakhi TV shows footage of Rajshahi BDR HQ where the same scene as yesterday is playing out. BDR in either Srimongol or Syhlet HQ have taken up positions for around 4 km out of their HQ. I’m getting some independent confirmation on situation in Brahmanbaria where the same is supposed to be happening. In all these places, BDR is using mics to warn the gneral populace to stay away. What’s happened is that a lot of their commanding officers were in Dhaka for Rifles week and with news going back that they might be dead, chain of command is effectively broken.
NTV reports that BDR has removed arms from gate 3 after PM’s speech.
2.35pm
Hasina’s speech just concluded. Carrot and stick. Don’t remember direct quotes, but here are the highlights:
- aimed abt 70% towards BDR and 30% towards army. Says she understands the losses of loved ones, so understands the pain of yesterday. Says, “revenge is not the way”.
- carrot and stick – says her govt. has tried negotiations, but she is prepared to take any steps for the national interest. Says more than halfway thorugh the speech and then again near the end. “My duty towards my people” kinda rhetoric. “I have come here today with a gun and an olive branch” kind of logic, putting the onus for anything to follow strictly on the BDR.
- formation of high-powered committee to look into BDR grievances
——-
TV news is reporting the rebellion is spreading across Bangladesh. Post your updates. No rumours please. Just information based on what you are seeing in news, real life etc. We will try to post updates here as well.
Be Safe. Stay home. Time has come to decisively control this violence.
- PM to Address soon (no time given)
- There are reports of rank and file soldiers seizing control of their barracks and camps in at least 12 different towns and cities since early on Thursday.
- The Bangladesh Rifles or BDR has 45,000 men stationed at 42 camps across the country.
In some cases, the border guards have taken their officers hostage, and in others they have forced them to leave, reports say.
Some mutineers told the BBC that they had taken up arms over fears that regular army units had been ordered to disarm them.
There are unconfirmed reports of gunfire in the main port city of Chittagong, at Feni, on the eastern border with India, in Rajshahi in the north west, and Sylhet in the north.
A man claiming to be a BDR soldier in Chittagong said they had opened fire to prevent regular army units from entering their camp, unconfirmed reports say.
Another report said similar incidents had occurred at Cox’s Bazaar and Feni.
In Khulna in the south, border guards have reportedly blocked a road, but no shooting has taken place.
The police chief in the north-eastern Moulivibazar district told the AFP news agency that the border guards were “firing indiscriminately”.
“Their commanding officer told me that he has fled the camp.”
Tags: BDR mutiny
@Globetrotter
Only the mutiny has been granted general amnesty not the killings. So provided the families know whom to bring the charges against, they will be able to bring specific charges of murder, arson, manslaughter etc against the perpetrators. So please oi lecture ta bondho koren. General amnesty diyeche mutineers der k. Check with ministry using your “Daily Star” journalist card. At no point did the PM say that the BDR will have amnesty for murder.
No one on this blog is trying to make a hero or demon out of any party here. All we’re doing is seeking information. To be able to absorb this information, one must learn to be open-minded. If you’re already decided against the BDR then no matter how many eye-witness accounts get posted here you’ll still see them as the demons. This was an unplanned, spontaneous outbursts where, so far, both the army and the bdr appear guilty, albeit at varying degrees. Keu ekhane army deaths cheer korche na. Please don’t start an unnecessary beef.
Apni eye-witness account bisshash korben na bhalo kotha. Please don’t try to insult our intelligence with your “common sense” nonsense. The Daily Star affiliation does not make you sound any more knowledgeable.
[Reply]
@Globetrotter
We can have plenty of analysis on how this played out.
The stories of tortures, by the way, are just coming out today and in the e-media I have seen plenty of coverage today. Yesterday, we heard those but none of those could not be corroborated. As a journalist, you must know that you cant just publish a news without authentication. Yesterday, it was the BDR rebels who got the media spotlight (mind you, there was no news of death internally at that time) and today it is the victims who are coming out that are getting the spotlight. Rightly so. Journalist chase wherever the news is.
Similarly, why is this one dimensional view that trying to analyse the root cause means supporting the mutineers? Any journalist with the slightest analytical ability will try to analyse the chain of events. Why it happened? Who dropped the ball? How it could have been prevented? Does that mean before each of this analysis everyone has to proclaim in BOLD Letters — I support the army and I hate the BDR? Are you serious? Isn’t that obvious?
After 911 happened, when journalist Farid Zakaria in the US wrote ‘why do they(muslims in arab countries) hate us (americans) ‘ — was he siding with Osama? Of course not, rather he was analysing the root cause so that it can be addressed and it doesn’t happen again.
Yesterday you tried to establish your own account of events of how it evolved. Now that it has fell apart, you are claiming that people who are trying to do that are actually against the army. How atrocious. Any journalist should first try to establish the chain of events that has happened. Rezwan is trying to establish the truth — not trying to justify it.
Nothing justifies killings and no one here support any killings. That should be assumed.
Lastly, I understand everyone’s emotion is running high. Let’s keep things in perspective and calm ourselves. There are lots of questions that has risen out of this incident. We, as a nation, need to talk about it openly. Otherwise we will have outbursts like this more often and wonder later how did it all go so wrong.
On this context, in this blog, we have often raised the issue of extra judicial killings and torture. Yesterday’s events again proves the need to raise our voice on those issues. When it comes to these, you can not pick and choose that your approve one kind of torture and not the other kind. You need to reject it in principle so that you can avoid any . Otherwise, it will haunt any of us. The culture of torture in our culture has now been institutionalised thanks to pratronization of some. Yes, I am looking at you people when you championed the torture on politicians last year. Torture can never be supported — no wonder how bad you assume the person to be. Same with extra judicial killings. Our outrage at such killings should be no less, no more than any other extra judicial killing that happened in the past.
Here in this blog we have often pointed out issues that no one pays attention to. We have talked about a ticking time bomb of CHT. Unless these issues are resolved politically and people get a chance to be heard, the people who are the most marginalized will explode and no one will like that outcome.
As I get calls from friends about how their family members are trapped inside BDR and they are presuming them to be dead, one thing that this has taught me is that we all need to engage more heavily on such issues. Because no matter how much we say such matters don’t involve us, when shit hits the fan, none of us are immune.
[Reply]
I heard many BDR people to talk in TVs. Their complaints didn’t sound to be ruled out totally. Not only me, many of Bangladeshi people thought in the way. But in the way the officers were killed and dumped, is unacceptable.
I definitely belong to the group who desperately look for a peaceful conclusion of this. But I just cannot accept the death of this much officers. I just cannot accept that somebody doing this will get away without being done anything. I never thought I will have to see some Bangladesh Army officer’s corpses being dumped in Kamrangirchar sewerage lines.
I honestly never even thought such a day will come to our lives. Military personnels are not saints. They may have corrupts. There may be very justifiable causes belonging to the BDR. Let me accept they are tortured by their fellow officers, sent from the army. Let me take all these as facts. But what kind of mutiny it is that the forces will shoot their officers indiscriminately and dump to sewerage pipes. I know most of the Major Generals those served as BDR’s DG, most of them ended popular among the jawans. Most of them ended the term quite pleasantly and many of them are still remembered with respect. I also know this Maj-Gen. Shakil doesn’t belong to that group. But what’s point in killing all of the people coming from Army? What note we should take out of it? Is this a fight against misappropriation, corruption, discrimination and brutality? or it’s been a war against the army? The question is asked not only to BDR, it’s also goes to the army.
I personally will accuse the present high command of the army to be held responsible for deaths of these officers and the whole matter. Nurul Kabir told this was a massive intelligence failure. Pardon me I was a little late to get up from bed yesterday. When I came to senses, a lot of things happened. When I got at least a shape of the whole matter, the first thing that occurred to me was, where were our intel big shots? I saw them quite active in Jalalabad House in 29 October, 2007 to break BNP. But where were they now? No answer.
But as things started to move ahead a bit, it occurred to me that was it really a failure? A mutiny ain’t a Fern to grow by my room’s wall. It requires some time to get the momentum it needs. And the whole background should sound too noisy to pass unheard and unseen by our intel agencies. So I put the question that whether it was a failure or it was a deliberate ignorance. An intel community has to be real bum to have all these things starting without getting noticed. I feel a little uneasy to consider our intel apparatus to be that bum.
[Reply]
Fariha, it is a weak debater wh0o resorts to insults. Why are you taking it upon yourself? I am not condemning the BDR as a whole. But I do not condone mutiny and cold blooded killing. Do you find anything offensive in my stance? If so, this discussion is futile.
Asif, with all due respect I think youre going off half-cocked without reading my posts. I am not against analysing the chain of events. In fact, most of posts yesterday did that. I identified the corruption in the daal bhaat programme as one of the root causes of the unrest. But I think as educated and enlightened people we need to agree that mutiny and cold blooded murder cannot be condoned. And there should be some respect for the dead.
Asif, I had news of the deaths of the army officers yesterday. So maybe we were on different pages.
[Reply]
Major Zaidi’s eye-witness account on ETV
[Reply]
@Globotrotter
The merits of the mutiny is an irrelevant debate for me now. All I’m seeking is transparency in army action and information. It’s insulting for all of us when you question “many of the bloggers” , their dislike of the army and their “common sense”. Any way, I don’t wish to engage in this debate.
@all
So Major Zaidi said the Jawan “kapte kapte pore jai”— i don’t understand. So did SHakil Ahmed shoot or not?? How can one “kapte kapte pore jai?”
[Reply]
@Globotrotter:
I agree with you that ‘mutiny and cold blooded murder cannot be condoned. And there should be some respect for the dead.’
I am having the proverbial ‘Duh’ moment. I am dumbfounded that you thought any of us would think otherwise.
But I found it offensive that you attacked some people in this blog and the media as cheerleaders of mutiny and killings.
I don’t wish to engage on this further. Suggest before hitting that submit button again you take a break and read through the responses including yours on the top.
[Reply]
Asif, I actually read posts before I respond. I like discussions, not arguments.
We can analyse all we like in the coming days. Meanwhile, let us spare a thought for the families of the dead.
@Fariha, there ARE no merits to a mutiny. That was my humble point from the beginning.
I just found it slightly strange that we were taking the rebels’ words at face value. It was not meant to insult anyone’s intelligence.
We can analyse all we like in the coming days. Meanwhile, let us spare a thought for the families of the dead.
[Reply]
Globe, please do not post so many one line comments…try getting them into single comments. You are flooding the board. Otherwise it will be moderated. There are very good discussion that can be had now. I think by now we understand your point . No point rehashing the same thing.
Want to post this heartbreaking post from another army officer posted in Monrovia:
we who saw the cry of the teenager son who were waiting in front of the drain lines waiting for his father’s body, it will ring a bell. Its very sad time for us. Time to mourn our brothers and sister’ loss.
http://www.sachalayatan.com/comment/reply/22094/171393
পিতার কাঁধে সন্তানের লাশ যেমন ভারি, আমার কাছে আমার কোর্সমেট, আমার সিনিয়ারের লাশ সমান ভারি।আর্মি আমাকে আর কিছু শিখাক বা না শিখাক, সিনিয়রকে প্রানের চেয়ে বেশি শ্রদ্ধা করতে আমি শিখেছি। সহযোদ্ধাকে নিজের ভাইয়ের চেয়ে বেশি ভালবাসতে শিখেছি। আজ আমার সব চেয়ে বড় কষ্টের দিন। আজ আর কিছু লিখতে পারছি না, আমার আবেগ কষ্ট সব ভেঙ্গে চূরে আসছে। এত দূর থেকে অসহায় এর মত শিউরানো, হৃদয় বিদারক, মর্মান্তিক যে খবর গুলা পাচ্ছি, মনে হছে কেন নিজে মরে গেলাম না তার আগে? এসব কেন শুনতে হচ্ছে আমাকে? ক্যাপ্টেন মাজহার – এডিসি টু ডিজ়ি বিডিআর, কুমিল্রা ক্যাডেট কলেজের এক্স-ক্যাডেট।
মিলিটারী একাডেমীতে কত কত স্মৃতি। আমাকে পানিশমেণ্ট দেওয়ার নাম করে গান শুনতেন। কত দিন স্যার এর রুমের সামনে দাঁড়িয়ে রবীন্দ্র সঙ্গীত শুনিয়েছি। মাত্র ডিসেম্বরে হল স্যার বিয়ে করেছেন, তার বয়স মাত্র ২৮/২৯। টগবগে, প্রানবন্ত তরুন অফিসার। এই গরিব দেশের কত কষ্টের টাকায় আমরা ট্রেনিং নেই, অফিসার হই, দেশের জন্য প্রাণ দেব বলে হাসি মুখে রাস্ট্রপতির কাছে শপথ নেই, মরে যাব কিন্তু দেশের স্বাধীনতা- সার্বভৌমত্ব রক্ষা করব। আর আজ লাশ হয়ে বের হয়ে এল এই তাজা প্রাণ সুয়ারেজের লাইন দিয়ে। এই দুঃখ, এই কষ্ট আমি কোথায় রাখি? তাঁর পরিবার, ভাবিকে শান্তনা দেওয়ার ভাষা আমার নেই, আমার নেই, কারোরই নেই। ঢাকা সিএমএইচ এ আজ লাশের পর লাশ আসছে। শুধু অফিসার কেন, আমার এক সৈনিকের ভাইকে নাকি মেরে ফেলেছে জোয়ানরা তাদের সাথে যোগ না দেওয়ায়। অফিসার, সৈনিক, জোয়ান সবাই এই দেশের সন্তান। কেন এই নিশংসতা? এই প্রশ্নের জবাব আজ কারো কাছে নেই।
স্রষ্টা আমাদের সবাইকে, আমাদের দেশকে এই মহা বিপদ থেকে উদ্ধার করুন। গরিব দেশটার জন্য বড় মায়া লাগে, বার বার উঠে দাঁড়াতে গিয়ে কে যেন ভেঙ্গে ফেলে কোমড়টা। হোঁচট খেতে খেতে আমরা কি আর দাঁড়াতে পারবনা কখনো?
[Reply]
DG BDR did not fire. Officers never carry weapon.
However it’s just his failure as Commander to identify the risk and emotion of the under commands.
One more thing… the soldier’s all allegations/complains culminated in one point…..sharing of profit (Money)
Just note: “Sharing of Money”.
Asif/Rezwan Bhai,
You r refering that DG BDR shot first.
Plz see ATN News. An exclusive interview with Lt Col Kamruzzaman…an eye witness of the whole incident.
DG BDR was killed on the spot.
[Reply]
Shihab, I have been trying to make that point. But it’s not a popular one, me thinks.
Interesting point about the “profit sharing”. It always invites trouble when armed forces are involved in commercial operations. A neutral investigation might open a can of worms.
[Reply]
BDR jawans seen arrested in civil dress, it is yet not known what is happening to the jawans who have surrendered. we have also ssen army troopss hitting, harrasing those who were fled and arrested later. We dont want any kind of unrest situation after such a peaceful surrender of jawans, which may draw another mutiny in near future.
The pm must keep his promise of general amnesty to the jawans.
[Reply]
Well, I think the civilian govt. deserves credit for successfully completing phase 1 of at least 4 to achieve a somewhat complete resolution. i.e., successfully disarming the BDR at Pilkhana. (by the way, where is Sohel Taj? Does anyone know?)
The next phase would be to solve the crisis all over the Bangladesh. BDR and the army has to get along for a peaceful country in which a democratic govt. can work for improving people’s lives. It is critical that as a result of any action (or inaction) in Dhaka does not spill over to other areas of the country, especially in the hills.
Phase 3 is a thorough investigation of the events of the last two days. Why such a massive command and intelligence failure happened? Who is responsible? What are the timeline of events? We need to account for every single individual and if they’re killed, we need to find out how’re they killed? By who? Were there any masterminds behind the scene? Outside quarters?
Phase 4 would be to establish proper mechanism so that this does not happen again. We need to listen to every group of people and try to solve it one way or the other so that no one group feels marginalized.
While doing all these, it is absolutely necessary to maintain transparency. Keep politics aside as this is necessary for our existence as a country and a nation. It is of no one’s interest to have a repeatation of events like this. It seems the people are becoming agitated quite easily and resorting to extreme measures often. Political as well as administrative command and control breaks down so easily! Dhaka university incident and the present crisis show how “small” events can grow into national crisis. It’s not good for our national health.
[Reply]
Globe
we deeply mourn on behalf of the nation for the rude criminal acts and slaughter of mass killing by the BDR jawans, cause there were officers who were may be innocent, and we as a respectful national of bangladesh deeplyexpress our grieves with the familys of those army officers.
It is a fact that the mass slaughter cannot be accepted at all by any means, but do we ever have any sense of understanding who we were dealing with?
plz note
1.) BDR jawans were deprived of their rights massly otherwise those who had also express their support through out the all BDR camp is a sheer lie, that we cannot deny at all.
2.) We need to know at what extent these paramilitary forces have taken up the law by themsleves, do we think all of them are mad enough to destroy their future, as these ppl were already deprived
3.) Did we ever thought what kind of benefits were given to them in comparison to other security personnel even at lower catagory of Anasr Vdp?
4.) We must also mind that these ppl are neglected, deprived and lead to the thtppl of the society tht have no fututre except their job and fighting bravely in border ready to die at any moment.
5.) in Comparison to the army officers family and the family of BDR jawans who were mostly deprived, the army Officers?defitely not.This is totally due to the neglacy of the commanding officers to the BDR jawans for a decade which had rised musch more at the reign of DG according to their verdict.
6.) No matter what were the reasons, the result is we are the looser in front of the world and in between our country,cause we have neglected them, we have not been able to put proper chain of command over this security institution,it is we who had led them to create such a situation.
7.) When will this country will ever be able to walk on the right way of secure developement. This is ot the way to reah a Digital Bangladesh.
8.) in investigation we must keep in mind all the facts i hve tried to quote so that further such incident may not take place ever in oure glorious history to come.
[Reply]
Was just watching one of the survivors Lt Col. Qamruzzaman speaking to ATN Bangla. He said no officers went to the Darbar with firearms. This story about the DG Major general Shakil shooting dead a jawan was pure fiction. Yet some of us were jumping to the conclusion that the DG must have suffered temporary insanity and shot a jawan in the Darbar hall in full view of thousands of soldiers. The man has lost his life. Lets not strip him of dignity.
[Reply]
Globe
Let me finish just by one last simle lesson that we have learnt from the past and out of all glorious history that”Mutiny happens on moral and ethical ground stand and when corruption is at mass level” The army officers died, that is our nations failure and the administration and chain of command is responsible for such decisive mass slaughter, and it is we that are the looser.
[Reply]
Rafique, sensible post. As i suggested yesterday, the general amnesty should only extend to those BDR personnel who do not have blood on their hands. Those who executed scores of officers in cold blood should be tried and punished.
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‘Mutiny’ is an age old human response when pushed too far. Our own independence struggle was viewed as a ‘mutiny’ — as are most struggles for rights. British history books refer to the war of 1857 as “sepoy mutiny” while around the subcontinent it is the ‘first war of independence’. (Before I get flamed, I am speaking rhetorically – there is NO insinuation that the BDR mutiny has any such lofty pretensions. This one seems to be simpler – it is about money!) And I am not at all prepared to say that the BDR mutiny was justified. Perhaps it was and perhaps it was not. But I am prepared to say that they (the BDR) seem to have genuine issues that the BDR command failed to (a) recognize; (b) redress; and (c) defuse. When such situations are allowed to percolate, bad things happen — as it just did. And when bad things happen with people who have access to automatic weapons, it is difficult to limit or control carnage.
I am also prepared to say that actions have consequences. Whether the mutiny was justified or not, no one should be able to kill/maim/torture without having to face the consequences. I can understand that things can get out of control in the heat of the moment. If it is true (as in one very detailed Bangla account) that some of the bodyguards opened fire, all bets about culpability and innocence are off. In the heat of the action, one group fires at the other without regard to who or how many in the group are culpable and who or how many are not. But I will repeat what I said in the first sentence of this paragraph – the ‘heat of the moment’ does not absolve anyone of responsibility (with the possible exception of self defense — which defense is generally available only to the ‘attackees’ and not the ‘attackers’). And certainly, no mitigation is available to anyone engaging in premeditated or postmeditated actions – and we are beginning to get scattered reports of such acts.
The immediate concern, as I have said before, ought to be stabilization of the situation. This includes no mistreatment of the surrendering BDR personnel and no persecution of the same, except in the context of a judicial enquiry. Anything else, such as the army taking matters into their own hands could easily lead to civil war – if not today, then some day in the future.
We should also acknowledge that the armed forces have a lot of questions to answer – beginning with, perhaps a rather significant question – if the BDR is responsible for guarding the borders, then why exactly do we need the army? I am, of course, being mildly facetious. Every nation needs a strong and resolute defense establishment. But we should take this opportunity to examine the equity and role of our armed forces. What do we seek from them, what do we receive and at what cost. In the end, the only thing that a democracy has is the power of its people. And in order to exercise that power rationally, the people need information. So I request all the journalists and bloggers and others (government bureaucrats, and yes, members of the armed forces, all of you) to contribute towards transparency. Let there be no secret deals and not secret orders and no secret allotments – no secrets at all! Let the people know and let them decide. And perhaps the people will take matters into their own hands and exercise their democratic franchise to achieve changes.
Meanwhile, let us respect the dead and express our condolences to all affected families. No one deserves a violent death. Let us invoke the blessing of God on all their souls and hope they have finally found the peace that so clearly eluded them on earth.
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Earlier I reported my extended family members being missing in action. They are rescued, shown on TV – I believe among the very few lucky survivor officers. But I lost friends and acquaintances in the action. I wholeheartedly mourn the tragic loss. No matter how much we debate here, we can not possibly fathom the depth of individual losses. I unequivocally condemn the killings and brutality – irrespective of whether any of the murdered officers were a “bad guy” or not.
@ GT, on the very onset of events I opined about the fundamentals. I do not know how to link that comment here (but please read the FIRST one from me in ‘Breaking: BDR Mutiny’). I wish I could go back and change only one thing in that comment as events unfolded. I wish I were not so harsh on Home Minister. I think I have no disagreement with your standing on mutiny and killing.
The disagreement is your approach to the situation. Anyone who interviewed the jawans, tried to understand the timeline of events, or questioned the root causes is a “cheerleader” of mutiny to you. On the other hand, you are saying that you will interview some captive officer and that will be the true account of events. I would not put all my eggs in one basket, specially when you have already determined from your “commonsense” that an officer can not shoot “the jawans” inside the Darbar Hall because of … … blah blah blah. Your commonsense may prevail but I would like to hear all the accounts. You are so struck by the atrocities, rightfully so, you are refusing to see that it is even more unlikely for the jawans to revolt against their commanding officers in a normal situation.
I would take this opportunity to take out another comment I made in the link, ‘What are we Thinking’. I said “ … … … killing of a general in front of his officers is disgracing to any professional army”. Now, I believe the officers either fought bravely or were incapacitated before they could act. I apologize to the bereaved families and salute our brave sons and daughters who laid down their lives in the line of duty.
[Reply]
পুরো ঘটনাতে মিডিয়ার ভূমিকা ছিল ভাইটাল। ভালো হয়েছে না খারাপ হয়েছে সে বিচারে যাচ্ছি না। বলছি মিডিয়ার রোল ছিল ভাইটাল। লক্ষ্য করুন, গতকাল রাত পর্যন্ত রেডিও টিভির দর্শক আর শ্রোতা যদ্দূর বোঝা গেল, বিডিআরের দাবির পক্ষে সায় দিয়েছেন। মানুষের এই বিডিআরের পক্ষ নেয়ার ঘটনাকে ওয়ান ইলেভেনের পর আর্মির জনপ্রিয়তাহানীর ফলাফলই বলুন, আর যাই বলুন, জনসমর্থন যেটাকে বলে, বিডিআরের তা ছিল। সাক্ষাতকারে তো একজনকে বলতেও শুনলাম, “বর্ডার পাহারা দেয় বিডিআর, বিএসএফের গুলি খায় বিডিআর, আর আর্মি ক্যান্টনমেন্টে থেকে খায় আর ঘুমায়”। কর্নেল মুজিব আর লেফটেন্যান্ট কর্নেল এনায়েতের লাশ ভেসে উঠবার পর পরিস্থিতর খুব বদল হয়নি কারন খুব বেশি চ্যানেলে এই দৃশ্য দেখানো হয়নি বা যায়নি, দেখানো হলেও তা হাইলাইট করা হয়নি বা বেশি সময়ের জন্য প্রচারিত হয়নি।
পরিস্থিতি বদলাতে শুরু করল আজ সকালের পর থেকে। কামরাঙ্গিরচরের সেই একই জায়গা থেকে আরও ছ’জন আর্মি অফিসারের লাশ উদ্ধারের পর যখন তা সবাই টিভিতে দেখল, মানুষের প্রতিক্রিয়া বদলে যেতে শুরু করল। বাংলাদেশ রাইফেল্সের ইউনিফর্ম পরিহিত ছজন অফিসার, যারা বাংলাদেশেরই আর্মির সদস্য, তাদের লাশ কাঁদা ময়লা মাখা অবস্থায় সোয়ারেজ লাইনের ধারে পাওয়া গেল গুলিবিদ্ধ অবস্থায়, নির্যাতনের চিহ্ন সহ। বাংলাদেশের মানুষ এরকম দৃশ্য কখনও দেখেছেন বলে মনে পড়ছে না। এই দৃশ্যর প্রতিক্রিয়া যা হবার তাই হল। গতকাল পিলখানার বিভিন্ন গেট থেকে জওয়ানদের দেওয়া বক্তব্যগুলো মানুষের মনে তাদের প্রতি যে সহানুভূতির জন্ম দিয়েছিল, এই দৃশ্যগুলো সেখানে শক্তিশালী আঘাত করল। পিলখানা অফিসার্স কোয়ার্টারে দিনব্যাপি বন্দীদশা থেকে মুক্তি পাবার পর অফিসারদের পরিবারগুলোর সদস্যদের বিদ্ধস্ত অবস্থা, বাচ্চাদের “আব্বু! আব্বু!” বলে চিৎকার ও কান্না, অফিসারদের সদ্যবিধবা স্ত্রীদের বিভ্রান্ত ভাবে এদিক ওদিক ছোটাছুটি, অফিসারদের আটকে থাকা দুমাস বয়সী শিশু এবং শতবর্ষী বাবা মায়েদের শূণ্য দৃষ্টি, এসব দৃশ্য যখন টিভি চ্যানেলগুলোতে দেখানো হতে থাকল, স্বাভাবিক ভাবে সহানুভূতির মেরুবদল হতে শুরু করল। আশ্চর্য হই এই দেখে যে, যে মানুষ গতকাল দ্ব্যার্থ কন্ঠে বিডিআরদের পক্ষে বলেছেন, আজ বিকালে একটি আর্মার্ড ব্যাটালিয়ন পিলখানার দিকে মার্চ করতে শুরু করার পর বিডিআরদের সম্ভাব্য পরিণতি সম্পর্কে তাদের আর চিন্তিত হতে দেখা গেলনা। বাংলাদেশ আর্মির সেই অফিসারদের করুণ পরিণতি দেখবার পর তারা ভাবতে শুরু করলেন এধরণের নিষ্ঠুরতা যারা দেখিয়েছে, তারা নিষ্কন্টক ভাবে ছাড়া পাবে কেন?
সাধারণ মানুষ যে ধারায় চিন্তা করেন আমরা কেউই তার ঊর্দ্ধে নই। আমাদের মাঝে অনেকেই অসাধারণ এবং অনেকেই অনেকদিক বিবেচনা করে থাকেন। কিন্তু একজন সাধারণ মানুষ হিসেবে আমি বিডিআরদের সেসব দাবির প্রতি সমর্থন জানাতেই পারি। গত দুই বছরে আর্মির ভেতরে ও বাইরে ওপেন সিক্রেটের মত যেসব ঘটনা ঘটেছে, তাতে আর্মির প্রতি আমি বিরূপ হতেই পারি এবং তা থেকেও বিডিআরের প্রতি একটা বাড়তি সমর্থন বা সহানুভূতি আসতে পারে। কিন্তু তাই বলে এভাবে আর্মি অফিসারদের উপর চড়াও হবার অর্থ কি? দরবার হলে প্রকৃতপক্ষে কি ঘটেছিল তা নিয়ে বিতর্ক আছে এবং এই বিতর্কের অবসান কখনওই ঘটবেনা। একটা ভায়োলেন্ট কনফ্রন্টেশানের ফলে সশস্ত্র মানুষের দুই পক্ষের দুদিকেই হতাহতের ঘটনা ঘটবে। এটা পৃথিবীর সব সংঘর্ষেরই চরিত্র। কিন্তু অফিসারদের মেরে ফেলার পর সোয়ারেজ লাইন দিয়ে ফেলে দেয়ার কি মানে হতে পারে? বিডিআর জওয়ানরা যদি মনে করে থাকেন যে এই বিদ্রোহর পর সত্যিই তাদের কিছু অর্জন হয়েছে, তবে সে অর্জন তো এই অফিসারদের জিম্মি করেও হতে পারত। এসব সশস্ত্র বিদ্রোহে এমন অনেক প্রসঙ্গই তোলা বৃথা তা আমরা জানি। কিন্তু প্রত্যক্ষ্যদর্শী যারা পিলখানার ভেতর ছিলেন তারা তো বলছেনই যে কাল দিনের প্রথম ভাগে পিলখানায় জওয়ানদের পক্ষ থেকে অনেকটা “আর্মি অফিসার হান্ট” গোছের একটা ব্যাপার ঘটেছে। সেখানে অসীম নিষ্ঠুরতার পরিচয় দিয়ে কোন অর্জন কি হয়েছে? এ তো একই দেশের মানুষদের মধ্যকার ব্যাপার। তাও কোন রাজনৈতিক প্রতিপক্ষ নয়, এলাকা দখল নিয়ে সন্ত্রাসীদের লড়াইও নয়, এটা একই দেশের মানুষের অর্থে পরিচালিত দুটি সংস্থার মধ্যকার ব্যাপার। এখানে প্রতিপক্ষের প্রতি নিষ্ঠুরতা প্রদর্শনের ফলে অতিরিক্ত কি অ্যাডভান্টেজ পাওয়া সম্ভব? বিডিআর জওয়ানরা আর্মির নিয়ন্ত্রণ থেকে মুক্তি চান। খুবই ভালো কথা, আর্মি নেতৃত্ব তারা না চাওয়া সত্ত্বেও যদি আর্মিকে রাখা হয় তবে কমান্ড ফেইলিওর ঘটবে এবং মুহুর্মুহ নানান অপ্রীতিকর ঘটনা ঘটবে। কিন্তু দাবির এ কি ধরণের প্রদর্শন? একটি আবদ্ধ স্থানে জওয়ানরা অফিসারদের চেয়ে সংখ্যায় অনেক বেশি ছিলেন তাই অফিসারদের এই নির্মম পরিস্থিত বরণ করতে হল। তা আজ বিকালে আর্মিরাও যদি একটি অলআউট রেইড এগজিকিউট করত, স্রেফ ক্ষমতার জোরে, তবে আর্মিকে কি করা হত? আর্মিরা তো পুরো প্রস্তুতি নিয়েই এসেছিলেন, একই অলআউট রেইড হতেই পারত, হলে আজ পিলখানার অবস্থা তেমনই হত যেমন অবস্থা কোন স্পেট্সনাজ ইউনিট অপারেট করার পর কোন এলাকার হয়, অর্থাৎ “নোবডি রিটার্নস অ্যালাইভ”। আমার মনে হয় এই ঘটনার পর বিডিআরের সদস্যরা একেবারে নিষ্কন্টক হয়ে “অতঃপর তারা সুখে বাস করিতে লাগিল” অবস্থায় ফিরে যাবেন, সেটা সার্বিক ভাবে খুব স্বাস্থ্যকর একটি ব্যাপার হবে না। এখানে অনেক প্রশ্ন আছে, অনেক প্রশ্ন সৃষ্টি ইতমধ্যেই হয়েছে। যার চিন্তাভাবনা সূক্ষ্ম সে সূক্ষ্ম প্রশ্ন করবে, আর সাধারণ কিছু প্রশ্ন সাধারণ মানুষরা বরাবরই করবেন। সম্ভাব্য সবগুলো প্রশ্নকে একটু সাজিয়ে গুছিয়ে নিয়ে সেগুলোর উত্তর খুঁজতে লেগে পড়া উচিত।
[Reply]
Re: xanthis’ first paragraph:
I just saw a report on one of the TV channels here, and it has not surprised me nor shocked me. But it has saddened me and it hints at the complexity and divisiveness that this issue can create.
The tv report showed large crowds of people during the day around zigatola, and azimpur side that cheered the BDR, went ahead in a cheerful procession and clapped at the BDR gates chanting solidarity with their cause. The BDR men’s expressions were full of glee and they fired blank shots into the air to add to the celebrations. They showed one man taking rice, and another bananas to the BDR men at the gate. Certain people in this cheering crowd spoke to the channel and expressed their solidarity with the BDR on how it was right and that they can identify with the BDR jaowan’s oppressed lives. However when the procession tried to approach Gate #1 from Satmasjid Road, the Army rebuffed them and sent them away elsewhere
Its great that there are people who have the freedom to express their opinions, take their sides and be heard in this free country, but it is indicative of a large section of Dhaka city society that genuinely is underprivileged and exploited. They are the hard working poorer low-income and lower-middle income masses, who have suffered the most during the price hikes of 2007-8. They are the ones who have often been at the forefront in activism, demanding the abolishment of the Military rule and wanting a return to electoral democracy. The BDR jaowans are their heroes.
From a very Marxist perspective, these masses are only in solidarity with their oppressed brothers and have a common enemy – the exploitative, rent seeking, sinister, corrupt, immoral, wealth accumulating, hoarding, capitalist, bourgeoisie as represented by the elite, well-educated, pampered army officers.
Is objectively differentiating right and wrong beyond the masses, or are they justified in their expression of class struggle? I wonder, and I hope truth and morality prevails at the end of the day. Because despite our high browed intellectualism dismissing fundamentalism and communism in Bangladesh, class distinctions and exploitation could very well boil over and create the poorer man’s mutiny against the middle class bangladeshis next time, couldnt it? Because I now sincerely doubt if our procedural democracy and institutions are strong enough to ever contain their simmering discontent.
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Any trial of the attackers and those who got attacked should be held in civil courts, not military courts, even if it requires changing defense laws, as it is beyond doubt that otherwise the likelihood is unfair trail in favour of the officers. In case of any court martial, the jawans then again may resort to this kind of mayhem finding no outlet of their grievances. What I believe is, civilian authority must be put in place to ensure accountability in the armed forces. It is too risky to keep it in the hands of the officers of the defense services, as has been proved over the time. However, this is definitely a challenge for the political leadership as it will entail potential conflict with the top brass of the armed forces. Any way, this is high time to stamp the authority of political leadership over the mandarins of the armed forces to ensure congenial officer-jawan relationship, and to ensure that accountability is in force therein.
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[...] users commented at “Unheard Voice,” a Bangladeshi blog and Worldfocus contributor, in reaction to the violence: Zambak: All residents of Pilkhana near the BDR gate (around the two graveyards) have been told to [...]
Some of you I think need to do a reality check. Most readers/commenter’s here come from privileged families, have little if anything common with typical BDR soldier. Did any of you got a chance to talk with regular street people, which side they are taking on this event. Understand they are just as much of a Bangladesh citizen as you are. And they don’t give a damn of how many army officers got killed. They are worried about what will happen captured BDR soldiers. Talk to a rickshawala or garments worker what they are feeling about the incident. They are more than 85% of true Bangladesh, and their feelings and sentiment is Bangladesh’s “Official” feeling, not yours. I find this hypocrisy sickening in UV comments, where have you been army officers were beating people mercilessly, killed hundreds without trial and got away with it.
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I should add again that I am very impressed with the calm and quality of the political leadership during this crisis. There are few ‘winners’ in this sad affair but democracy and the civilian government definitely came out ahead. Once again, they have earned my respect.
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Muhit,
How come people, like you, term the govt. as ‘winner’? Has the govt. come out with any plan that can deter recurrence of this type of gory situation?? Has it taken any step to stamp civilian authority over defense affairs to make sure that accountability / healthy chain of command is established in the armed forces??? Can we rest assured that jawans will not revolt again to protest ‘injustice’ by the officers????
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General Moeen has entered BDR HQ to monitor search operation.
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Let us be very clear about what we are facing here.
We have two issues: alleged army corruption and factual murders committed by BDR troops.
The two are distinctly separate issues and need to be viewed as such.
The claims of army corruption are at this point accusations only. No one has proven that in a court of law. Under the previous administration many top ranking military officers (albeit retired) were jailed and punished. So were hundreds of civilians, should we then go about wiping off the entire civilian administration in the same spirit. The anser is NO.
However, the government will probably have to onduct an overhauling of the entire BDR setup. Many of them have to be punished, I will say they will simply need to be set before firing squads after their guilt has been established beyond a shadow of doubt.
It would be impossible to allow BDR folks to roam about freely after what they have done. There cannot be any reconciliation or peaceful way out of this. This would be standard punishment in any country.
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