Charges framed against 61 Sylhet mutineers
The special court-14, set up at Sylhet BDR sector headquarters, yesterday framed mutiny charges against 61 jawans of 38 Rifles Battalion under the sector.
Of the accused, 34 claimed innocence while the rest confessed to their involvement in the mutiny and prayed for mercy.
Earlier on October 20, Prosecutor Major Amanullah Khan, acting commanding officer of the battalion, read out the allegations against the accused at the court headed by Col SM Farhad. Two other members are Lt Col Akhtaruzzaman and Major Maksudul Alam.
Deputy Attorney general Farhad Ahmed represented the attorney General while Special Public Prosecutors- Gazi Zillur Rahman and Habibur Rahman Sheikh were present. Major Abu Mohammad Siddique was friend of the accused.
After the court framed charges, the prosecution witnesses gave their statements before the court. They said the accused had revolted at the battalion headquarters on February 26 last year, expressing solidarity with the mutineers of BDR headquarters at Pilkhana in the capital.
They took control of the battalion in the city's Akhalia area on Sylhet-Sunamganj highway, blocked the main road and set fire to the vehicles, the witnesses said.
After recording the statements of the witnesses, the court adjourned the trial proceedings until 8:30am today.
The then officer-in-charge of Sylhet Kotwali Police Station Syeduzzaman filed three separate cases with the Chief Judicial Magistrate court on May 17 last year against the rebel BDR men of Sylhet sector and two battalions.
They were immediately arrested and were produced before the Chief Judicial magistrate, who sent them to the jail.
Our Khagrachhari correspondent reported that the BDR special court-15 yesterday adjourned the hearing on charge framing against 47 accused of 29 Rifle Batalian until December 6.
Three witnesses gave their deposition against the accused at the court. Three of the accused confessed to their involvement in the mutiny while rest 44 claimed innocence.
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