Some burning questions
Mortuza Ali Chowdhury (Milan) | Wednesday, 4 March 2009
The shocking murders at the BDR Headquarters on February 25, 2009, reminded us of the dark night of March 25, 1971 which had stirred us morally and made us leave home for the training camp, to join the war and save our motherland.
In the recent mutiny, after massacring hundreds of army officials the culprits have disappeared, and in between, the happenings tragically seem to be a replay of what occurred during 1971. The way the so-called rebels looted, ravaged and massacred officials, as well as general people, including family members of the officials, remind us of the days we experienced during the crackdown of the Pakistan army on March 25, 1971.
Setting properties and assets of the Headquarters on fire, bayoneting officers and burying them in mass graves in different places inside the HQ, also remind us of 1971. Though we don't know all the military tactics we are quite sure that there must have been some way to contain the rebels and ensure no one could flee. The law enforcement bodies were supposed to cordon the whole area.
Instead they stayed in front of a few gates, which made it possible for the rebels to escape safely and merge with the general public in the streets.
There are a few questions that we would like to ask to each and every single individual of this country:
1.Who has been harmed by this mutiny and massacre?
2.Who are the beneficiaries? Who said earlier "It's a matter of 2/3 days for taking over the whole country!"
3. Who will be appointed to the posts of the officers who have been massacred? Who are they and how did they get into the Defense? What are their previous records and life histories?
4. Who will occupy the top-level offices in the coming years?
5. What is the average age of the rebels who massacred the officers and their previous records and life history? The rebels who openly communicated with the media covering their faces with cloths, seemed to be quite immature in their speeches.
6. How can so many dedicated and potent officers of Bangladesh army (e.g.- Lt. Col. Gulzar, Maj. Hayder, and many others whom we knew personally.) be transferred to BDR? Is this a regular practice or has it been developed recently?
7. How can a paramilitary force like BDR act in an organised way, quite like an army coup? They are not as highly trained and equipped as other defence forces are. The commanding officers are usually from the army.
8. Who were the people who started a sudden procession outside the gates giving supportive slogans to the BDR?
9. Mir Shawkat Ali mentioned that it was impossible to find the culprits. He thought it was August/November 1975 but he forgot that it is February 2009 and we're at the age of high tech information.
10. Everyone says that this must not be repeated in future but they are not concerned with the current bizarre situation. The harm has already been done.
11. There are so many intelligence agencies in our country. How could they fail so badly? One of our friends reported that in Burimari border, a subadar who is from BDR intelligence was checking the baggage of travellers, and along with other BDR sepoys he asked for money from the passengers. A complaint was lodged on 23/2/2008 at the BDR intelligence office'. Is that the way an intelligence agency is supposed to operate?
Hope the readers, especially the ones who survived the war in 1971, found the answers instantly at the end of each question.
The writer is an analyst
and was a
freedom fighter of
the K Force of
Sector-2, at a tender age
In the recent mutiny, after massacring hundreds of army officials the culprits have disappeared, and in between, the happenings tragically seem to be a replay of what occurred during 1971. The way the so-called rebels looted, ravaged and massacred officials, as well as general people, including family members of the officials, remind us of the days we experienced during the crackdown of the Pakistan army on March 25, 1971.
Setting properties and assets of the Headquarters on fire, bayoneting officers and burying them in mass graves in different places inside the HQ, also remind us of 1971. Though we don't know all the military tactics we are quite sure that there must have been some way to contain the rebels and ensure no one could flee. The law enforcement bodies were supposed to cordon the whole area.
Instead they stayed in front of a few gates, which made it possible for the rebels to escape safely and merge with the general public in the streets.
There are a few questions that we would like to ask to each and every single individual of this country:
1.Who has been harmed by this mutiny and massacre?
2.Who are the beneficiaries? Who said earlier "It's a matter of 2/3 days for taking over the whole country!"
3. Who will be appointed to the posts of the officers who have been massacred? Who are they and how did they get into the Defense? What are their previous records and life histories?
4. Who will occupy the top-level offices in the coming years?
5. What is the average age of the rebels who massacred the officers and their previous records and life history? The rebels who openly communicated with the media covering their faces with cloths, seemed to be quite immature in their speeches.
6. How can so many dedicated and potent officers of Bangladesh army (e.g.- Lt. Col. Gulzar, Maj. Hayder, and many others whom we knew personally.) be transferred to BDR? Is this a regular practice or has it been developed recently?
7. How can a paramilitary force like BDR act in an organised way, quite like an army coup? They are not as highly trained and equipped as other defence forces are. The commanding officers are usually from the army.
8. Who were the people who started a sudden procession outside the gates giving supportive slogans to the BDR?
9. Mir Shawkat Ali mentioned that it was impossible to find the culprits. He thought it was August/November 1975 but he forgot that it is February 2009 and we're at the age of high tech information.
10. Everyone says that this must not be repeated in future but they are not concerned with the current bizarre situation. The harm has already been done.
11. There are so many intelligence agencies in our country. How could they fail so badly? One of our friends reported that in Burimari border, a subadar who is from BDR intelligence was checking the baggage of travellers, and along with other BDR sepoys he asked for money from the passengers. A complaint was lodged on 23/2/2008 at the BDR intelligence office'. Is that the way an intelligence agency is supposed to operate?
Hope the readers, especially the ones who survived the war in 1971, found the answers instantly at the end of each question.
The writer is an analyst
and was a
freedom fighter of
the K Force of
Sector-2, at a tender age