Nation pays homage to BDR carnage victims

The country paid on Tuesday homage to 74 victims including 57 army officers, who were brutally killed during a barbaric carnage at the headquarters of the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), now Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), in capital's Pilkhana on February 25-26 in 2009, reports BSS.
The anniversary of the martyrdom of the army officers was observed at the Pilkhana headquarters on Tuesday.
State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan and civil and military officials placed wreaths at the graves of the martyred army officers at Banani army graveyards. Family members of the deceased officers were present.
President M Abdul Hamid's military secretary Maj Gen Abul Hossain and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's military secretary Maj Gen Mian M Zainul Abedin placed wreaths at the graves of the slain army officers at Banani Military Graveyard on behalf of the president and the prime minister.
Army Chief General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, Navy Chief Vice Admiral M Farid Habib, Air Chief Air Marshal Muhammad Enamul Bari, Senior Secretary for Home CQK Mustaq Ahmed and BGB Director General Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed also placed wreaths at the graves of the martyred army officers.
A delegation of the ruling Awami League led by Faruque Khan and Tajul Islam paid their respects to the slain army officers.  Former President HM Ershad also placed wreath.
A delegation of BNP led by its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir placed wreath on behalf of the party. Prayers were also offered by the army officers and the members of the assassinated officers' families seeking eternal blessings for the departed souls.
All stood in solemn silence for a minute after placing wreaths at the graves of the victims.
A contingent of the Armed Forces gave salute on the occasion and a munajat was offered seeking salvation of the departed souls of the slain army officers.
Besides, khatme Quran and special prayers were held in central mosques at all cantonments across the country.
The country witnessed its worst- ever paramilitary rebellion on February 25-26, 2009 when the rebel soldiers killed the then director general Major General Shakil Ahmed and 73 others, 57 of them being army officers serving BDR on deputation, at their Pilkhana headquarters in the capital.
The mutiny quickly spread to sector headquarters and regional units of the border force across the country though the casualties took place only at Pilkhana.