Says probes coordinator Faruk Khan; links of a few militant outfits found; Touhid, 10 others sent to jail
Staff Correspondent
Commerce Minister Lt Col (retd) Faruk Khan yesterday said motive for the last month’s carnage at BDR Pilkhana headquarters was to destabilise the country and its progress under a democratic government.
“They [mutiny plotters] thought the army would launch a counter-attack in response to the BDR mass killings and it would eventually lead to a civil war-like situation,” he observed.
Lately assigned to coordinate probes into the February 25-26 bloodbath, Faruk was speaking to reporters at Pilkhana after over three hours long meeting with the government, army and Criminal Investigation Department’s inquiry committees.
The meeting that began at 12:45pm was the second of its kind.
The minister said, “We have some evidence that several militant organisations had links to the bloody revolt.” He however did not elaborate on the findings.
A couple of days back, the retired army officer-turned-politician said Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) had a hand in the vicious killings of 74 people including 52 army officers on February 25.
Meanwhile, 11 BDR personnel suspected of leading the carnage were sent to Dhaka Central Jail yesterday on completion of their remand in CID custody.
They include Deputy Assistant Directors Touhidul Alam and Abdur Rahim, havildar Azad Ali, nayek Mohammad Firoz Ahmed, sepoys Fasiur Rahman, Sirajul Islam, Emran, Shah Alam and Shahjahan, and cook Amirul Islam.
COORDINATION MEET
At the Pilkhana meeting, the commerce minister expressed satisfaction over progress in the work of the probe bodies.
He however stressed the need for more coordination between them.
Sources said reorganising the paramilitary force under a new name was among the issues discussed.
Replying to a query, Faruk Khan said those who cannot stand the existence of Bangladesh and its progress were involved in the BDR massacre. They want to render the country a failed state.
He urged people to help arrest the border troops who have fled the headquarters with firearms and ammunition.
He asked everyone to report to the nearest police stations or army camps if they happen to have any leads to the BDR mutiny.
Queried how many jawans might be still at large, he replied, “Not many.”
The minister said investigators have made some significant progress through interrogation of those arrested in connection with the mutiny that.
So far, 236 border guards have been arrested and 25 of them have been grilled while on remand, he continued.
SCOTLAND YARD TEAM LEAVES
The four-member Scotland Yard team that came to Dhaka on March 11 to help investigations into the BDR carnage left the country yesterday.
Faruk Khan said the British officials have pledged further assistance if necessary.
TORAB QUIZZED
Torab Ali, detained president of the retired BDR members’ welfare association, have told interrogators that he had knowledge that there might be some kind of problem at the BDR headquarters on February 25.
He knew it from one Zakir, a retired junior commanding officer’s son, on February 24.
Zakir learned from his fellow students, mostly children of serving BDR members, at a coaching centre near Pilkhana, he added.
Also president of Awami League (AL) ward-48 unit and father of top criminal Liton alias Leather Liton, Torab is now on a five-day remand.
He was picked up by Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) from his house on Moneswer Road on March 10.
Despite knowing beforehand that something untoward might take place, Torab did not inform the BDR authorities about it, said an official tasked with investigating the carnage.
Asked why he did not contact the authorities concerned as president of the welfare association, he told interrogators that he indeed made a gross mistake by not doing so.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
