The 12th anniversary of the atrocious carnage at the Pilkhana BDR (now BGB) headquarters in Dhaka is being observed with due solemnity.
A total of 74 people, including 57 Army officers, were killed in the carnage beginning on this day in 2009.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has organized Quran Khawani, doa, and milad mahfil, marking the day.
During the day, family members and relatives of the slain army officers will pay their tributes by placing floral wreaths on their graves at Banani Military Graveyard in the capital.
BGB flags are being flown at half-mast at all its installations and all BGB members are wearing black badges to mark the day.
A special prayer and milad mahfil will be held on Friday after Jummah prayers at BGB Central Mosque, Dhaka Sector Mosque and Border Guard Hospital Mosque at Pilkhana to seek salvation of the departed souls.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal will be present as the chief guest at the BGB Central Mosque.
Besides, the senior secretary to the Public Security Division of the Home ministry, director general of BGB, relatives of the martyrs, all officers working at Pilkhana, among others, will join the prayers.
On February 25, 2009, several hundred BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) men staged an armed revolt at the Darbar Hall of the force's Pilkhana headquarters during the three-day "BDR Week." They killed 74 people, including 57 Army officers.
The mutiny finally ended the following day (February 26) with the surrender of firearms, ammunition, and grenades through a negotiation between the then government and the BDR rebels.
A total of 58 cases, including one for murder and looting, and the remaining for mutiny were filed in connection with the mutiny.
In 2013, a Dhaka court sentenced 151 BDR men and a civilian to death in the carnage case, while 160 BDR men and two civilians were given life sentences and 256 others were jailed for different terms.
Then in 2017, the High Court confirmed the death penalty of 139 people, commuted the capital punishment of eight people to life sentences and acquitted four others.
Besides, the court upheld the life imprisonment of 146 convicts and handed down different jail terms to 196.
In January 2021, nine death row convicts filed an appeal with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, challenging the High Court verdict that confirmed their death sentences awarded by the trial court.
mj/
