Relatives allege excruciating torture; authorities sit today to discuss deaths
Staff Correspondent
Yet another member of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) died in mysterious circumstances at the city’s Pilkhana headquarters yesterday.
The man was identified as lance nayek Mobarak Hossain. He fled the HQ shortly before the 33-hour mutiny ended on February 26, and later reported back to barracks.
With his death, the number of border troops who have died since March 9 stands at four. Of them, three died at Pilkhana and one in Joypurhat.
Besides, BDR central mosque’s pesh imam (someone who leads prayers), who reportedly witnessed the start of the bloodbath, died during the same period.
In all cases, the authorities concerned have cited heart attack or suicide as causes of death.
Mobarak’s relatives however allege that he was tortured to death. They claim he was in good health when he returned to Pilkhana.
Before coming to Dhaka on February 18 to join the BDR week, he was stationed at Rifle Security Unit in 29 Battalion of Chittagong. He held ID No.48235.
Requesting anonymity, his cousin yesterday afternoon told reporters, “My brother died an agonising death after torture.”
Earlier, sources at Dhaka Medical College (DMC) morgue said the lance nayek’s wrists, arms, knees and shoulders were swollen and badly bruised.
Two police constables rushed him to DMC Hospital at around 10:40am. Doctors on duty there announced he had already died.
Mahbub, one of the constables, said they don’t know anything. All they did was shift him from the Pilkhana hospital.
Contacted, BDR Director General (DG) Brig Gen Md Mainul Islam said, “Perhaps, he [Mobarak] died of a heart attack. I’m not sure though about the cause of his death. That will be known after post-mortem.”
Asked about the injury marks, he said, “You know how soldiers suffered injuries while fleeing the headquarters. The marks on his body might have resulted from those wounds.”
The deaths at regular intervals bring into question the soundness of the measures taken to protect suspected mutineers, most of who are considered vital witnesses to the vicious killings of 74 people including 55 army officers.
Meanwhile, Commerce Minister Faruk Khan last night told The Daily Star that the BDR authorities will meet at Pilkhana at 3:00pm today to discuss the recent deaths of jawans.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shafique Ahmed said only after receiving the post-mortem reports can they confirm whether the troops died naturally or were killed.
If the deaths were unnatural, murder cases can be filed, he told The Daily Star.
“I should not be making further comments at this moment.”
The law will take its own course once the autopsy reports are available, he added.
Replying to another query, he said, “There’s no question of ordering any probe into the jawans’ deaths as we have yet to get the post-mortem reports.”
Sources said immediately after Mobarak’s death, BDR officials informed the commerce minister that one jawan had died of heart attack.
Earlier, on March 17, sepoy Monir Hossain died at Pilkhana. Two days before that, BDR man Waheduzzaman allegedly committed suicide at the barracks of Battalion 3 in Joypurhat.
On March 9, nayek subedar Mozammel Haq reportedly took his life by hanging himself from a bathroom ceiling at BDR 44 Battalion Building inside Pilkhana headquarters.
Two days later, Pesh Imam of the BDR mosque Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman died at DMCH.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
