BDR rebellion: twenty questions
Munir Ahmed | Sunday, 8 March 2009
ALL indications tell us the heinous massacre was not carried out on the spur of the moment. It appears to have been a calculated, pre-meditated, pre-planned barbaric act. A whole host of issues and questions await the investigative bodies.
Some are listed below.
1. The massive magnitude of the crime is not justified by the breadth of the grievances of the BDR jawans even if it is one officer's life per grievance. Only the government could redress their grievances. If the Director General (DG) BDR continuously ignored their grievances, firstly, that does not justify killing a hundred precious lives, and secondly, there were other channels of communication with the government. What actually was the objective of this rebellion? Was there some outside force behind it?
2. It is hard to imagine jawans of a well-trained paramilitary force killing their own officers en masse with utmost brutality and cruelty, and then ransacking their residences and terrorizing their families. Were outside agents dressed as jawans (and masked) involved in the atrocious job?
3. Were the perpetrators oblivious of the after-effects of such a monstrous mutiny? Or were they assured and confident of escape and safety in the wilderness of 150 million people? What was the source of safety, if any was assured?
4. Is it true that thousands of jawans left the Durbar Hall on February 25 at a particular time after 9 am? If yes, it will indicate a pre-planned act.
5. Is it true that many perpetrators wore red and orange coloured bandanas and masks? If yes, it will prove pre-planning.
6. Is it true that at about the time the commotion started, a gray pick-up van entered the BDR Headquarters (HQ) with arms and ammunitions? If yes, from where, and who were involved?
7. Is it true that when the storm was brewing up the DG BDR and his officers communicated to higher authorities that their life was in imminent danger? If yes, who were contacted, and what were the responses from the authorities?
8. What did the government do to find out what happened after hell was let loose at about 9:30 am and perpetrated thereafter? Why did it take until 11 am for the Army personnel to arrive? Where were the Army tanks? Remember 24 years back the sight of ammunitionless Army tanks in front of Rakkhi Bahini HQ paralyzed that elite force.
9. It was around 9 am on February 25 that the DG BDR called the PM pleading for rescue operation. Scores of precious lives were at stake. Why did it take the government for hours to send 'pacifiers'? This was when two junior leaders led by the State Minister for LGRD used hand microphone to communicate with rebellious elements inside BDR HQ. Was this the level of importance the unprecedented crisis and armed rebellion deserved?
10. The Prime Minister (PM) met members of BDR rebels from about 3 pm on February 25. We gather she was told the body-guard of the DG and a BDR jawan were dead as of that hour - implying all officers were alive but held hostage. Did she enquire about the safety and security of the DG BDR and his officers? Wouldn't that have been a very natural curiosity and enquiry? Before she granted general amnesty, did she try to ensure that they were alive? Did she propose to send a government fact-finding team to verify their safety and security? At the least, she could have demanded to talk on mobile phone with her BDR commander to ensure he and his officers were alive.
11. The Home Minister and her team went on Feb 25 at night and had lengthy talks with representatives of the perpetrators in a restaurant opposite to BDR HQ. Did she ask about the fate of the DG and the officers? Did she try to ensure they were alive and safe?
12. The Home Minister was allowed inside BDR HQ around midnight that same night. She was seen on TV receiving arms from a BDR rebel. She was there for over two hours. She went to the residences of officers and escorted some families to safety. Did she ask about the fate of the officers? Did she try to meet them if she was told they were alive?
13. After the midnight venture into the HQ, the State Minister for LGRD is reported to have said before the media that about 50 to 60 persons were killed. When he was asked how he came to know, he is reported to have said that he was told. Did the media ask who are among these reportedly killed? Did they ask about the fate of the officers? If not, why not? Why doesn't the State Minister talk about the well-being of the central figures of this whole episode - the beleaguered officers?
14. Nothing much happened for much of February 26. We gather the Army was not granted permission to enter BDR HQ. The PM spoke in the late afternoon of the day, reiterating general amnesty, demanding surrender of weapons by the rebels, and threatened action against them if they did not surrender weapons and went back to their barracks. The PM granted general amnesty and demanded the surrender of weapons about 24 hours prior to this speech on TV. Why on the first day did she not impose a deadline for surrendering weapons? Why did she wait so long to make a speech at the time of a great national crisis?
15. All weapons were reportedly surrendered after this speech of the PM. The Army was allowed to enter on February 27. But by then the BDR rebels got ample time not only to try to hide their gruesome massacre, few thousand of them found enough time to flee from the sprawling HQ where they carried out a reign of terror for two days. Why was such an eventuality not foreseen? Why did not the authorities take steps to encircle the entire compound however large it may be and ensure that nobody could escape the compound? Was it an impossible task? Was it deliberate?
16. What was the extent to which the BDR jawans (or their representatives) made representations to the DG BDR in terms of their grievances? What were the responses?
17. As alleged, was big money pumped in to buy the rebel leaders to carry out the massacre? Were propaganda materials distributed?
18. Who appointed Deputy Assistant Director Touhid as the DG BDR even before the rebellion was over, and why?
19. How much did intelligence agencies know about the rebellion? If they did not know, why is that the case? If they knew, to what extent did they know, and what did they do with the intelligence?
20. A final moot question: If the BDR becomes dysfunctional or is rendered ineffective, which entity will benefit the most?
Two days after the mayhem started, slowly but surely, to the utter amazement of the nation and the world at large, the horrific acts of the marauding rebels were unearthed. People gasped in sheer disbelief as increasingly ghastly crimes were revealed. We all have to die. But is this the death a soldier deserves?
The author lives in the USA and may be contacted at munir.ahmed05@yahoo.com.
Some are listed below.
1. The massive magnitude of the crime is not justified by the breadth of the grievances of the BDR jawans even if it is one officer's life per grievance. Only the government could redress their grievances. If the Director General (DG) BDR continuously ignored their grievances, firstly, that does not justify killing a hundred precious lives, and secondly, there were other channels of communication with the government. What actually was the objective of this rebellion? Was there some outside force behind it?
2. It is hard to imagine jawans of a well-trained paramilitary force killing their own officers en masse with utmost brutality and cruelty, and then ransacking their residences and terrorizing their families. Were outside agents dressed as jawans (and masked) involved in the atrocious job?
3. Were the perpetrators oblivious of the after-effects of such a monstrous mutiny? Or were they assured and confident of escape and safety in the wilderness of 150 million people? What was the source of safety, if any was assured?
4. Is it true that thousands of jawans left the Durbar Hall on February 25 at a particular time after 9 am? If yes, it will indicate a pre-planned act.
5. Is it true that many perpetrators wore red and orange coloured bandanas and masks? If yes, it will prove pre-planning.
6. Is it true that at about the time the commotion started, a gray pick-up van entered the BDR Headquarters (HQ) with arms and ammunitions? If yes, from where, and who were involved?
7. Is it true that when the storm was brewing up the DG BDR and his officers communicated to higher authorities that their life was in imminent danger? If yes, who were contacted, and what were the responses from the authorities?
8. What did the government do to find out what happened after hell was let loose at about 9:30 am and perpetrated thereafter? Why did it take until 11 am for the Army personnel to arrive? Where were the Army tanks? Remember 24 years back the sight of ammunitionless Army tanks in front of Rakkhi Bahini HQ paralyzed that elite force.
9. It was around 9 am on February 25 that the DG BDR called the PM pleading for rescue operation. Scores of precious lives were at stake. Why did it take the government for hours to send 'pacifiers'? This was when two junior leaders led by the State Minister for LGRD used hand microphone to communicate with rebellious elements inside BDR HQ. Was this the level of importance the unprecedented crisis and armed rebellion deserved?
10. The Prime Minister (PM) met members of BDR rebels from about 3 pm on February 25. We gather she was told the body-guard of the DG and a BDR jawan were dead as of that hour - implying all officers were alive but held hostage. Did she enquire about the safety and security of the DG BDR and his officers? Wouldn't that have been a very natural curiosity and enquiry? Before she granted general amnesty, did she try to ensure that they were alive? Did she propose to send a government fact-finding team to verify their safety and security? At the least, she could have demanded to talk on mobile phone with her BDR commander to ensure he and his officers were alive.
11. The Home Minister and her team went on Feb 25 at night and had lengthy talks with representatives of the perpetrators in a restaurant opposite to BDR HQ. Did she ask about the fate of the DG and the officers? Did she try to ensure they were alive and safe?
12. The Home Minister was allowed inside BDR HQ around midnight that same night. She was seen on TV receiving arms from a BDR rebel. She was there for over two hours. She went to the residences of officers and escorted some families to safety. Did she ask about the fate of the officers? Did she try to meet them if she was told they were alive?
13. After the midnight venture into the HQ, the State Minister for LGRD is reported to have said before the media that about 50 to 60 persons were killed. When he was asked how he came to know, he is reported to have said that he was told. Did the media ask who are among these reportedly killed? Did they ask about the fate of the officers? If not, why not? Why doesn't the State Minister talk about the well-being of the central figures of this whole episode - the beleaguered officers?
14. Nothing much happened for much of February 26. We gather the Army was not granted permission to enter BDR HQ. The PM spoke in the late afternoon of the day, reiterating general amnesty, demanding surrender of weapons by the rebels, and threatened action against them if they did not surrender weapons and went back to their barracks. The PM granted general amnesty and demanded the surrender of weapons about 24 hours prior to this speech on TV. Why on the first day did she not impose a deadline for surrendering weapons? Why did she wait so long to make a speech at the time of a great national crisis?
15. All weapons were reportedly surrendered after this speech of the PM. The Army was allowed to enter on February 27. But by then the BDR rebels got ample time not only to try to hide their gruesome massacre, few thousand of them found enough time to flee from the sprawling HQ where they carried out a reign of terror for two days. Why was such an eventuality not foreseen? Why did not the authorities take steps to encircle the entire compound however large it may be and ensure that nobody could escape the compound? Was it an impossible task? Was it deliberate?
16. What was the extent to which the BDR jawans (or their representatives) made representations to the DG BDR in terms of their grievances? What were the responses?
17. As alleged, was big money pumped in to buy the rebel leaders to carry out the massacre? Were propaganda materials distributed?
18. Who appointed Deputy Assistant Director Touhid as the DG BDR even before the rebellion was over, and why?
19. How much did intelligence agencies know about the rebellion? If they did not know, why is that the case? If they knew, to what extent did they know, and what did they do with the intelligence?
20. A final moot question: If the BDR becomes dysfunctional or is rendered ineffective, which entity will benefit the most?
Two days after the mayhem started, slowly but surely, to the utter amazement of the nation and the world at large, the horrific acts of the marauding rebels were unearthed. People gasped in sheer disbelief as increasingly ghastly crimes were revealed. We all have to die. But is this the death a soldier deserves?
The author lives in the USA and may be contacted at munir.ahmed05@yahoo.com.