Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) 665 jawans jailed for Pilkhana mutiny

BANGLADESH NEWS

A special court on Tuesday sentenced 665 jawans of 44 Rifles Battalions of erstwhile Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) to rigorous imprisonment ranging from four months to seven years in a mutiny case.

The Special Court-9 headed by Col Ehia Azam Khan of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) fined each of the convicts Tk 100.

It also acquitted eight jawans of the case as allegations brought against them were not proved.

Of the convicts, 113 jawans were jailed for seven years, one for six years and six months, 32 for six years, 26 for five and six months, 131 for five years, 124 for four years and six months, 73 for four years, 16 for three years and six months, 16 for three years, two for two years and six months, 38 for two years, eight for one year and six months, 52 for one year, 15 for six months and 18 for four months each.

Sepoy Selim Reza is among the jawans who was jailed for highest seven years. He led the 44 Rifles Battalion during the 2009 mutiny.

The judge started delivering verdict around 10:00am, which continued for around 2:00pm.

The other members of the special court are Lt Col Md Shahadat Hossain and Maj Md Mahfuzur Rahman.

The trial of the mutiny case began on April 26, 2010. Though the charges framed against 675 accused, two of them died at hospital during the trial proceedings.

The charges include leaving the Darbar Hall defying the orders of the then director general Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed, collecting firearms and ammunition from the armouries and taking effective measures to thwart the mutiny and taking part in the mutiny with firearms.

Seventy-four people including 57 army officials were killed during the Pilkhana mutiny on February 25-26, 2009.