Bringing evil-doers at BDR HQs to task
Amir Khasru | Monday, 2 March 2009
WHAT has happened inside the headquarters (HQ) of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) recently, poses a very serious security threat to the country. The events are simply unthinkable as it is a case of breakdown of order in a disciplined para-military force, the BDR. More serious could have been the fall-out from any encounter of the regular army against the rebel BDR. It was difficult to rule out such a possibility because there was much at stake in the so-called rebellion of the BDR personnel. Thus, almost a war-like situation developed in the heart of the capital city and at stake was also the lives of civilians and their properties located at the place of occurrence, besides those of the well-trained, qualified army officers. A worse scenario than this could not be even imagined. Outside of Dhaka, a similar situation was prevailing in many regional camps of the BDR.
The home minister, at one stage, seemed to be alone to take care of a very serious crisis which even hardened security professionals would find extremely difficult to handle. Even the situation at the Prime Minister's office at the beginning was tense for understandable reasons. She is an astute politician and has been able to appreciate what steps are needed to be taken. But surely, it was an extra-ordinary situation and no civilian government in the past had to handle a battle situation of the type that developed among the security forces of the country. Ideally, it is the unbroken discipline, dutifulness and willingness to be led by properly constituted authorities of the same forces that should have been the main guarantee for the people against anarchy. The way events unfolded, if it was not capped fast and efficiently, then Bangladesh would be labelled sooner rather than later as a country that cannot govern itself. In that case, the ground would have been smoothened for all kinds of overt or covert extraneous or other intervention in the country's affairs.
The government has taken the right course of action for addressing the situation. Patriotism of the involved BDR men was also invoked. All these things were fine. For any move to crush a rebellious-type of situation with the immediate application of stronger force or superior force has the potential to push things to a point of no return and delay the return of normalcy.
But normalcy ought not to lead to complacency. The declaration of a general amnesty has been given necessary explanation. The rebellious BDR men have been rounded up and disarmed. Impartial and foolproof investigations should now take place on an urgent basis be to determine the role of each of them in defying their chain of command, slaying their officers in the most brutal way and vandalising and looting the officers' residences. Those who would be found guilty must be made to suffer serious punishment proportionate to their crimes and as provisioned in their service rules for such misconduct or in according with a new piece of legislation, if it is found necessary, to deal firmly and effectively with those who caused such an irreparable loss to the nation. Only such steps will create some deterrent effect so that potential mischief-makers may be discouraged to enact such a tragedy in the future.
The home minister, at one stage, seemed to be alone to take care of a very serious crisis which even hardened security professionals would find extremely difficult to handle. Even the situation at the Prime Minister's office at the beginning was tense for understandable reasons. She is an astute politician and has been able to appreciate what steps are needed to be taken. But surely, it was an extra-ordinary situation and no civilian government in the past had to handle a battle situation of the type that developed among the security forces of the country. Ideally, it is the unbroken discipline, dutifulness and willingness to be led by properly constituted authorities of the same forces that should have been the main guarantee for the people against anarchy. The way events unfolded, if it was not capped fast and efficiently, then Bangladesh would be labelled sooner rather than later as a country that cannot govern itself. In that case, the ground would have been smoothened for all kinds of overt or covert extraneous or other intervention in the country's affairs.
The government has taken the right course of action for addressing the situation. Patriotism of the involved BDR men was also invoked. All these things were fine. For any move to crush a rebellious-type of situation with the immediate application of stronger force or superior force has the potential to push things to a point of no return and delay the return of normalcy.
But normalcy ought not to lead to complacency. The declaration of a general amnesty has been given necessary explanation. The rebellious BDR men have been rounded up and disarmed. Impartial and foolproof investigations should now take place on an urgent basis be to determine the role of each of them in defying their chain of command, slaying their officers in the most brutal way and vandalising and looting the officers' residences. Those who would be found guilty must be made to suffer serious punishment proportionate to their crimes and as provisioned in their service rules for such misconduct or in according with a new piece of legislation, if it is found necessary, to deal firmly and effectively with those who caused such an irreparable loss to the nation. Only such steps will create some deterrent effect so that potential mischief-makers may be discouraged to enact such a tragedy in the future.