44 Rifles Battalion led mutiny

Thirty of the mutineers identified as to be involved in Pilkhana carnage belong to 44 Rifles Battalion, Prosecutor Lt Col Kazi Aniruddha told the BDR Special Court-5 on Monday.

Sepoy Selim Reza played the key role when a group of mutineers entered the Darbar Hall to kill the BDR high officials, including the then director general, on February 25 last year, he added.

The court, led by BDR DG Major General Md Mainul Islam, started the trial proceedings at Pilkhana Darbar Hall of BDR headquarters in the morning.

The prosecutor said the mastermind of the massacre was the BDR personnel belong to the 44 Rifles Battalion. From deputy assistant director to ordinary jawans were involved in the killings, he added.

Subedar Md Ismail Hossain of the battalion filed a case against 675 BDR men with the special court after the court proceedings began on Monday.

Of the accused, 270 are still serving the battalion and the court directed the authorities concerned to arrest them.

The remaining 405 BDR men were detained in the case filed with the New Market Police Station in connection with the mutiny.

The court asked the officials concerned to show the 405 jawans arrested in the case and produce all the 675 accused before the court on Tuesday.

The court was adjourned till 10:00am on Tuesday.