Dhaka to seek outside help in BDR recast

Taj says; new name, uniform being picked for overhauled force
State Minister for Home Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj yesterday said that the government would take necessary assistance from the friendly countries to modernise the border security force Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), if necessary.
Earlier, India and the USA had offered to help Bangladesh reorganise its border security outfit jolted by the Feb 25-Feb 26 mutiny and carnage.
“We have discussed reorganising and also changing uniform of the BDR as part of its recast,” he told the media after a meeting with Director General (DG) of BDR Major General Mainul Islam.
The meeting was held at the office of Home Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun, at which Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder was also present.
At the meeting, the BDR DG briefed the ministers about the way likely to be followed in reorganising the border force as well as choosing a new colour of the uniform used by the force.
Asked about the enquiry report on the BDR mutiny, the state minister said it takes time to make a fair investigation into a carnage.
When contacted, the BDR Director General said, “We can allow sharing experiences and training from the bordering forces in the friendly countries if needed.”
As part of reorganising the BDR, two different uniforms -‘combat dress with black print’  and ‘plain dress in olive colour’ – might be introduced, sources said BDR personnel, to be on duty at borders will wear the combat dress and the personnel stationed at the headquarters will wear the plain one, it was learnt.
Bangladesh Border Force (BBF) is likely to be finally selected as the new name of BDR as part of recasting the border security force of the country.
The sub-committee headed by DG of BDR is likely to recommend in its report introducing the two separate sets of uniforms and the new name for BDR, sources said yesterday.
About the uniform, Major General Mainul Islam said he believed the two separate dresses were required for the BDR personnel. One dress is to be used in the bordering areas and other for the official activities.
“We will introduce uncommon dresses for the BDR force,” he said.
“The proposed dresses will be finalised as soon possible by the concerned authorities after placing the sub-committee report to the main committee,” the BDR DG added.
“We will place the report within a couple of days before the committee on re-organising the border force headed by Commerce Minister Faruq Khan to make a final report on introducing the new uniforms and changing the organogram of BDR,” he said.
According to the sources, after getting the sub-committee report, a final report will be prepared  by the committee, which will be placed before the cabinet. The committee will also make a presentation to the cabinet members for finalising the new dresses and the new name for the border force.
The border guards, who were found involved in the massacre at BDR headquarters in Peelkhana on February 25, in which a total of 75 people including 56 army officers were killed, will be excluded from the new force. But the BDR men who were not involved in the carnage will be included in the recast force, sources said.
A six-member committee comprising members from BDR, Bangladesh Police, Ansar, Home Ministry and Armed Forces  headed by Director General of BDR was formed for reorganising the border guards following the mutiny and carnage at the BDR headquarters in Dhaka.

Courtesy of The Independent