Why so many murders?

He was born 11 days after his father Maj Mominul Islam Sarker was shot dead during the BDR carnage at the border guards' headquarters in 2009.

Seeing a few pictures of his father and asking the grownups about him, Sadakat Sabri, now in grade one, has grown to be fond of the man he has never seen.

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That is why when he came to mourn the deaths of the victims of the carnage at Banani graveyard for the armed forces officials yesterday, he kept telling his aunt that he wanted to be an army officer like his father.

“He cherishes his father and always dreams of becoming a heroic figure like him,” said Sadakat's aunt Azizunnesa Sarker.

She added the family wanted quick disposal of the cases in connection with the carnage.

On February 25-26 in 2009, just about two months after a newly elected government took office, 74 people including 57 army officers were killed when a mutiny broke out at the BDR (now BGB) headquarters at Pilkhana in the capital. The mutiny later came to be known as BDR carnage. 

More than a hundred family members and colleagues of the victims gathered at the graveyard in the morning and placed wreaths on the graves of their loved ones.

Some of them voiced discontent regarding the trial.

“I believe some of the people behind the murders are still untouched,” said Kazi Harunur Rashid, elder brother of slain Col Kazi Emdadul Haq, adding, “We want quick execution of the verdict of the case.”

Some other families said they were still in the dark about why the murders took place.

“The planners or participants of the heinous attacks have been brought to book… Those who instigated the crimes or those who gave support from behind have also been brought to justice, wherever we found evidence. We cannot do anything without evidence,” Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told journalists while visiting the graveyard.

On November 5, 2013, a special court in Dhaka sentenced 152 people to death and 161 others to life imprisonment for their involvement in murder and carnage during the mutiny.

The case is now pending before the High Court, which may deliver its verdict by June, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told The Daily Star recently.

Chief of Army Staff Gen Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq, Maj Gen Sarwar Hossain, the president's military secretary, Maj Gen Mia Mohammad Joynul Abedin, the prime minister's military secretary, and top officials of the armed forces paid tributes to the deceased officers at the graveyard.

An elaborate programme was organised by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), marking the eighth anniversary of the carnage.

A daylong programme began with recitation from the holy Quran at all the BGB mosques after Fazr prayers yesterday. Milad and doa mahfils were also organised at Pilkhana, said a press release.

Special prayers and milad mahfil were also held at Bir Uttam Fazlur Rahman Khandker auditorium at Pilkhana in the afternoon.