HRW report 'int'l conspiracy against Bangladesh' BDR

BANGLADESH NEWS

The government has described the Human Rights Watch report on BDR mutiny and carnage trials as part of an international conspiracy and propaganda against the country.

In a press statement Friday afternoon, the home ministry termed allegations by the New York-based rights body about the trial 'totally false, baseless and imaginary'.

It called for the withdrawal of the HRW report and statement so that the trial of the killing of 74 people including 57 army officers in the most hated and heinous incident to ensure exemplary punishment to the culprits through a smooth trial.

About the HRW allegations that those detained in connection with the mutiny have suffered tremendous abuse and torture in custody, the government said it is totally baseless and fabricated. It is void of reality.

It also said the trial is being held in a fair and transparent manner. The cases filed under Penal Code and Arms Act are being conducted under the existing laws of the land.

The accused are enjoying all kinds of opportunities like appointing lawyers, defending oneself and placing witnesses, the statement said.

Journalists from both the print and electronics media along with the relatives of the accused remain present in the court during the trial.

Meanwhile, Border Guard Bangladesh also described HRW remarks on the BDR trial thoughtless and illogical and said the report as a whole is ‘baseless’ and ‘ill-motivated’.

In a press statement released in the afternoon, it said the HRW had violated the laws of the country by demanding a halt to the trial of the 2009 BDR mutiny and carnage.

The provocative demand has surprised and concerned the paramilitary force, the statement said.

The BGB accused the rights body of creating confusion among the people of the country about the laws of the land, hurting the morale of the members of the discipline force, depicting a negative image about Bangladesh in the international arena.

The force strongly condemned and protested the remarks of the HRW about the trail of the mutiny and the heinous killings in its Pilkhana headquarters.

On July 4, a HRW report claimed that the mass trial for the February 2009 BDR mutiny is fundamentally flawed and the accused are subjected to gross human rights violations.

Releasing the report at a press conference in the capital, HRW officials called upon the government to immediately halt the trial.

The New York-based rights body also called for disbanding Rapid Action Battalion (Rab).

It also demanded the government form a special independent commission to investigate the custodial deaths and torture of BDR (now BGB) soldiers and take action against human rights violations by the members of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and other intelligence agencies.

The trial of the country's largest ever killing case in connection with the BDR carnage at Pilkhana in February 2009 began on January 5 last year.

A total of 74 people, including 57 top and mid-ranking army officers, were killed in the two-day mayhem that began on the morning on February 25, 2009.