BNP to observe Feb 25 as 'Army Martyrs Day' if voted to power

BNP senior leader Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman said on Sunday their party, if returns to power, will take steps to observe February 25 as 'army martyrs day', commemorating the army officers killed in the Pilkhana BDR carnage in 2009, reports UNB.
"This day is a tragedy for the nation. BNP, if voted to power, will take measures to officially observe February 25 as Army Martyrs Day," he said.
Mahbub, also a BNP standing committee member and a former Chief of Army Staff, came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after placing wreaths at the monument set up at Banani Graveyard in memory of those killed in the Pilkhana carnage.
He said the bloody incident at the then BDR headquarters at Pilkhana took place as part of a local and international conspiracy.
"The complete trial of the carnage is yet to be held. The trial of the case filed under the explosive act is still pending with the court."
On behalf of party chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman, a BNP delegation, led by Mahbub, paid homage to the victims of the bloody mutiny around 10:30 am by placing the wreaths.
They also stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the slain army officers.
BNP vice chairmen Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, Air Vice Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Kalyan Party chairman Maj Gen (retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, retired army officers Ruhul Alam Chowdhury, Fazle Elahi Akbar, Mizanur Rahman, Monish Dewan, Sarwar Hossain and Muktijoddha Dal President Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat were there in the BNP delegation.
On February 25, 2009, several hundred BDR, now renamed BGB, members took up arms against their superiors at the Pilkhana Darbar Hall and killed 74 people, including the then BDR chief Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed and 56 other army officers.
The nation with a heavy heart is observing the 9th anniversary of the atrocious carnage at Pilkhana in the capital.