The Mutiny of BDR

Bangladesh Rifles known as BDR is one of the forces of Bangladesh. They work under the command of Army and mainly responsible for border guard. In 2009 they started a protest that turned into a mutiny. It took such a horrible turn that killed many army officials. 25th to 16th February of 2009, these two days the main incident happened and it took one day for the people outside to know about it. It took place in the capital Dhaka, Pilkhana, Darbar Hall. As Pilkhana is a huge area with boundaries, secured by BDR so the incidents happening inside hardly caught people's attention first day. Annual events of the BDR Week was going on. On the second day of the annual event all the main officials of army, Director General, Commander including many important guests were present there that morning. It started at 10 in the morning when Director General of BDR Shakil AHmed was giving a speech. The BDR soldiers stood and started putting their demand of equal rights as army officials, place in high positions, right of recognition. After putting the demand very soon they took the General and other officials as hostages and started killing them.

No body could know that such a rage was growing inside them for such a long time, and that they were planning a brutal thing. That day the soldiers killed more than 74 army officials and some of the members of their family, their houses were looted, assets were destroyed and children and women got raped. Additionally at least six civilians including a boy were killed in cross fires. The first day around 67 bodies were found including Director General's body. On friday through the Operation to Retrieve Bodies was found few other bodies. Among them one were RAB and BDR Sylhet sector commander Col Gulzar Uddin Ahmed. Around thrusday night another 9 bodies were found. Inside the DG's house two people who were guest of the Director General were laso killed. On thrusday morning around 8 to 10 am another six bodies were found. It was found away from Pilkhana near the Buriganga river. These dead bodies were in BDR officials uniform. Wife of Shakil Ahmed, Naznin Shakil Shipu was brutally raped and killed. Several mass graves were found having more than 74 to 80 dead bodies. Other dead bodies were drained through the sewage line into the river and more than 70 are believed to be missing. After two days of night mares the hostage family members were released. These BDR soldiers were not just satisfied with Pilkahna. Soon they spread they massacre in 12 other cities as Chittagong, Feni, Sylhet, Rajshahi. Though within three days the government took the situation under control, the most severe problem the incident caused was that the national border border was left unguarded.  It was in such a vulnerable situation that any international force could get in and attack.