BDR mutiny: Families of 2 accused appeal to PM for quick disposal of blast case

The family members of two former Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) members, who are in jail, appealed to the prime minister to take initiative for speedy disposal of the blast case filed over the BDR mutiny.

They submitted the humanitarian appeal to the deputy commissioner of Munshiganj on Thursday (29 February).

The family members of former BDR members Al Amin and Habibur Rahman emphasised their 15 years of hardship, misery, and an uncertain future to the deputy commissioner. 

Deputy Commissioner Abu Zafar Ripon assured them that he would address this issue with the prime minister during the upcoming Deputy Commissioner's Conference.

According to the families, former BDR members Al Amin and Habibur Rahman were acquitted in two cases filed over the BDR mutiny. However, the blast case is yet to be disposed of even after 15 years of the incident.  

Describing their sufferings, the relatives of the accused said some have even resorted to selling their land to pursue the legal battle. 

Therefore, they made a humanitarian appeal to the prime minister for the quick disposal of the blast case.

On 25 February 2009, several hundred BDR (now Border Guard Bangladesh) men staged an armed mutiny at the Darbar Hall of the force's Pilkhana headquarters in Dhaka. They killed 74 people, including 57 army officers.

On 27 November 2017, the special HC bench pronounced a verdict that confirmed the death sentence on 139 of the 152 convicts who were given capital punishment by a lower court for involvement in the carnage during the mutiny by the paramilitary force members. 

A total of 179 accused were acquitted of the murder case, but they were not released from jail as the blast case trial had not ended.