BDR Mutiny in Sylhet
Charges to be pressed against 61 today
The special court-14, set up at Sylhet BDR sector headquarters, will frame charges against 61 mutineers of 38 Rifles Battalion today.
After framing charges, the special court, headed by Comilla Sector Commander SM Farhad, will record the statements of the prosecution witnesses. Two other members of the court are Lt Col Akhtaruzaman and Maj Mohammad Moksudul Huq.
Acting Commanding officer of 38 Battalion Major Amanullah will act as prosecutor while Deputy Attorney General Gazi Zillur Rahman will represent the attorney general at the court, BDR officials told a press conference at the sector headquarters yesterday afternoon.
The then officer-in-charge of Sylhet Kotwali Police Station Syeduzzaman filed three separate cases with the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court on May 17 last year against the BDR rebels of Sylhet sector headquarters and two battalions under the sector as they revolted against their officers on February 26.
The complainant alleged that the rebels took control of Sylhet sector and the two battalions headquarters, set fire to three private vehicles of BDR officials in front of the battalion headquarters and blocked Sylhet-Sunamganj road.
They also looted firearms and ammunition from the armouries and fired at least 200 blank shots.
In the first case, the special court-3 on August this year sentenced 14 BDR men 8 Rifles Battalion, Sunamganj, to different terms of rigorous imprisonments.
Our Khagrachhari correspondent reported that the special court-15, set at Kharachhari sector headquarters, yesterday adjourned the hearing on charge framing against 47 accused of 29 Rifles Battalion until 9:00am today.
Prosecutor Lt Col Mafta-ul Karim read out the charges against the accused at the court headed by Chittagong Sector Commander Lt Col Zahedur Rahamn. Two other members are Lt Col Abdur Nur and Major AZM Golam Mostafa AL Mamun.
Three of the accused-- Md Mahedi Hasan, Md Abul Kashem and Md Rashedul Alam--confessed to their involvement in the mutiny at the battalion headquarters on February 26 last year while the rest claimed innocence.
After hearing the charges, the court ordered the authorities concerned to produce all the 47 accused before the court at 9:00am today.
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