'Injustice done in the name of justice'
Ex-BDR subedar narrates how 16 years of his life was ruined
Subedar Abdur Rashid, now around 67 years old, continues to bear the scars of an ordeal that began nearly 16 years ago. The former Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) member suffers from severe orthopaedic and skin diseases, leaving him unable to walk or stand for long periods.
"At least 16 years of my life were ruined in jail. We [ BDR members] were tried and imprisoned in the name of justice, but it was actually injustice," Abdur Rashid told The Business Standard on Sunday.
"I was set to retire within a year and had been posted at Dhaka Central Jail before joining Pilkhana on 22 or 23 February 2009, just a few days before the carnage that shook the nation," he added.
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Abdur Rashid recalled the horrific BDR carnage on 25-26 February 2009, which killed 74 people, including 57 army officers. He was at the BDR headquarters in Pilkhana that day and narrowly escaped being killed by the "rebels" he blames for the attack.
"I even gave my uniform to one of the [army] officers, as they were the prime targets of the rebels. At the time, then Major Akramuzzaman, who had joined the Darbar [assembly] of the Bangladesh Rifles, was trying to escape Pilkhana amid the deafening sounds of gunfire.
"Dressed in an officer's uniform, he was at risk of being killed by the rebels. As bullets whizzed past, I rushed back to my room, grabbed an old uniform of mine, and handed it to him. Fortunately, he managed to survive."
He added, "I chose to stay, but fear consumed me—I could be caught and executed for helping an officer. I hid in toilets at times and took refuge in a trench inside Pilkhana as chaos and bloodshed continued for two days. Later, I was admitted to the BDR hospital, where we faced shortages of food and other necessities.
"A month later, on 28 March 2009, I was suddenly arrested in connection with the BDR carnage cases. I was falsely implicated in multiple charges, including murder and violations under the Explosives Act. Like many others, I was dismissed from my job in a summary trial conducted by the BDR authorities, marking the beginning of my ordeal and a story of injustice."
Abdur Rashid said, "Fortunately, I was acquitted of the murder charges in 2013, but my ordeal was far from over. I was denied bail in the Explosives Act case, just like hundreds of others, and the trial did not even begin until 2017.
"Imagine being acquitted of murder, yet spending 16 years of your life in jail without any proof. My life is in ruins. My family was shattered and had to endure unimaginable suffering.
"I demand a fair investigation to uncover the real culprits, whether they are from within the country or across the border. It's high time for justice—at the very least, it would bring some solace after everything we have endured."
Who are the 'unidentified individuals'?
Abdur Rashid also recalled seeing unidentified individuals inside the Pilkhana premises during the carnage.
"There was an ash-coloured vehicle, similar to a BDR one, and the people inside were masked and covered with veils or scarves. They behaved like intruders. These individuals must be identified," he urged the commission, formed by the interim government to re-investigate the BDR carnage, to revisit the scene of the massacre.
Abdur Rashid's son, Al Mamun Shakil, shared his family's ordeal, saying, "Throughout the 16 years, bail was never granted. The rule of law was finally established after the July uprising. We filed a petition with the High Court on 19 January, and four days later, he [Abdur Rashid] walked out of Keraniganj prison.
"For all those years, we were silenced and denied the opportunity to share our ordeal. We never understood why bail was denied. Now, it's time to confront the truth once and for all.
"The trial process was flawed. BDR members were made scapegoats in these cases. It was a national and international conspiracy that was ignored and bypassed by the previous regime. This was injustice done in the name of trial and justice," he added.
Major Akramuzzaman, who retired as a lieutenant colonel from the Bangladesh Army, narrowly survived the horrific massacre. He recently shared his account with the commission. He also expressed hope for a fair probe after the revolution.
At least 54 accused individuals have died during the trial of the BDR carnage cases, with 15 of them passing away before the High Court delivered its verdict.
