Charge-framing against mutineers in Rangamati Friday
Thursday, 26 November 2009
RANGAMATI, Nov 25 (UNB): The nine BDR mutineers in the dock here in the first phase of trial of the countrywide BDR mutiny will be indicted on December 27, as a special court trying them set the charge-framing date after second day's hearing today (Wednesday).
Today's trial proceedings began at 9:30am and concluded at 10:10am with the nine of several thousand mutineers standing in the dock of the Special Court-4 to testify amid tight security.
The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) men were produced before the three-member panel of the special judge's court established at Jhagrabil BDR sector headquarters in the hill town.
The nine are Havildar Shamsul Haq, signalman Md Abdur Rahman, Abul Kalam Azad, Havildar Sohrab Hossain, Havildar Shibbir Ahmed, Sakhawat Hossain, Rashed Karim, Jahir Uddin and Sarwar Kamal.
Four of the accused were brought in the court from 12 Rifles Battalion camp at Rajnagar in Langdu Upazila in uniform while five others from local jail in civil dress.
BDR Director-General Maj General Mainul Islam presided over the special trial court as per provision of the BDR Act.
Lt Col Abdur Rouf and Major Golam Mostafa Al Mamun are the two other members of the panel while Deputy Attorney-General Mohammad Sohrawardy and advocates Mosharraf Hossain Kajal and Manjurul Alam Manju assisted the court.
There was no defence lawyer for the accused BDR men in the court.
The nine accused replied in affirmative when the court wanted to know whether they were informed about the charges brought against them for the February 25-26 act of mass mutiny, spread from the headquarters to garrisons across the country.
"Yes, we're," said one - and then all of them.
The court heard the charges against the accused and took those into cognisance before adjourning by setting the indictment date.
The court asked the accused BDR jawans to consult their respective lawyers and appear in uniform for the next hearing at 3:00pm on December 27.
The much-talked-about trial of the February 25-26 countrywide BDR mutiny began Tuesday at this special court.
On the first day of the trial, the court had ordered that the nine accused be produced before the court but who had not present on the first day.
Elite-force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), police, BDR and detectives have arranged special security measures in and around the special judge's court.
Following the mutiny, which sparked off at the Pilkhana headquarters of BDR in Dhaka and then spread to other garrisons, charges were brought against 39 jawans of five units of Rangamati sector. The accused have been detained in the district jail as per court order. They will be produced before the special court in phases.
Earlier, the government had decided to set up six special courts to try the accused -- two in Dhaka and four outside.
On February 25-26, BDR personnel had staged the mutiny at the BDR Headquarters at Pilkhana over low pay and poor condition, and the uprising sparked off mutinous demonstrations in other establishments of the border force across the country.
The courts will hold the trial of the BDR men only for the mutiny, not the other acts of crime committed during the revolt, such as murders, looting, arson and so.
As per government decision taken in the light of Supreme Court opinion following a presidential reference on the mode of BDR trial, the criminal offences committed during the mutiny will be tried separately under the common criminal law stipulated in the criminal procedure code (CrPC).
The six courts are Special Court-1 having jurisdiction over Khulna, Rajshahi and Kushtia sectors and battalions/establishments under the sectors; Special Court-2 with its command area covering Dinajpur and Rangpur sectors and battalions/establishments under the sectors; Special Court-3 for Sylhet, Comilla and Mymensingh sectors and battalions/establishments under the sectors; Special Court-4 for Chittagong, Rangamati, and Khagrachhari sectors and battalions/establishments under the sectors and Rifles Training Centre and School, and Baitul Ijjat, Chittagong; Special Court-5 for areas in Dhaka sector and the battalions under it; and Special Court-6 with its command area encompassing BDR headquarters and establishments under it, signal sector, Sadar Rifles Battalion, BDR Hospital and Rifles Security Unit.
At least 73 people, including 57 army officers deputed to the paramilitary force, were killed at the Pilkhana BDR headquarters during the February 25-26 mayhem.
A total of 1,779 suspects have been arrested so far in connection with one mutiny case filed in Dhaka while 1,721 were arrested in connection with 40 cases filed for the rebellion outside the capital.
Today's trial proceedings began at 9:30am and concluded at 10:10am with the nine of several thousand mutineers standing in the dock of the Special Court-4 to testify amid tight security.
The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) men were produced before the three-member panel of the special judge's court established at Jhagrabil BDR sector headquarters in the hill town.
The nine are Havildar Shamsul Haq, signalman Md Abdur Rahman, Abul Kalam Azad, Havildar Sohrab Hossain, Havildar Shibbir Ahmed, Sakhawat Hossain, Rashed Karim, Jahir Uddin and Sarwar Kamal.
Four of the accused were brought in the court from 12 Rifles Battalion camp at Rajnagar in Langdu Upazila in uniform while five others from local jail in civil dress.
BDR Director-General Maj General Mainul Islam presided over the special trial court as per provision of the BDR Act.
Lt Col Abdur Rouf and Major Golam Mostafa Al Mamun are the two other members of the panel while Deputy Attorney-General Mohammad Sohrawardy and advocates Mosharraf Hossain Kajal and Manjurul Alam Manju assisted the court.
There was no defence lawyer for the accused BDR men in the court.
The nine accused replied in affirmative when the court wanted to know whether they were informed about the charges brought against them for the February 25-26 act of mass mutiny, spread from the headquarters to garrisons across the country.
"Yes, we're," said one - and then all of them.
The court heard the charges against the accused and took those into cognisance before adjourning by setting the indictment date.
The court asked the accused BDR jawans to consult their respective lawyers and appear in uniform for the next hearing at 3:00pm on December 27.
The much-talked-about trial of the February 25-26 countrywide BDR mutiny began Tuesday at this special court.
On the first day of the trial, the court had ordered that the nine accused be produced before the court but who had not present on the first day.
Elite-force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), police, BDR and detectives have arranged special security measures in and around the special judge's court.
Following the mutiny, which sparked off at the Pilkhana headquarters of BDR in Dhaka and then spread to other garrisons, charges were brought against 39 jawans of five units of Rangamati sector. The accused have been detained in the district jail as per court order. They will be produced before the special court in phases.
Earlier, the government had decided to set up six special courts to try the accused -- two in Dhaka and four outside.
On February 25-26, BDR personnel had staged the mutiny at the BDR Headquarters at Pilkhana over low pay and poor condition, and the uprising sparked off mutinous demonstrations in other establishments of the border force across the country.
The courts will hold the trial of the BDR men only for the mutiny, not the other acts of crime committed during the revolt, such as murders, looting, arson and so.
As per government decision taken in the light of Supreme Court opinion following a presidential reference on the mode of BDR trial, the criminal offences committed during the mutiny will be tried separately under the common criminal law stipulated in the criminal procedure code (CrPC).
The six courts are Special Court-1 having jurisdiction over Khulna, Rajshahi and Kushtia sectors and battalions/establishments under the sectors; Special Court-2 with its command area covering Dinajpur and Rangpur sectors and battalions/establishments under the sectors; Special Court-3 for Sylhet, Comilla and Mymensingh sectors and battalions/establishments under the sectors; Special Court-4 for Chittagong, Rangamati, and Khagrachhari sectors and battalions/establishments under the sectors and Rifles Training Centre and School, and Baitul Ijjat, Chittagong; Special Court-5 for areas in Dhaka sector and the battalions under it; and Special Court-6 with its command area encompassing BDR headquarters and establishments under it, signal sector, Sadar Rifles Battalion, BDR Hospital and Rifles Security Unit.
At least 73 people, including 57 army officers deputed to the paramilitary force, were killed at the Pilkhana BDR headquarters during the February 25-26 mayhem.
A total of 1,779 suspects have been arrested so far in connection with one mutiny case filed in Dhaka while 1,721 were arrested in connection with 40 cases filed for the rebellion outside the capital.