Weather | Dhaka 
The February carnage that played out in the guise of mutiny at the BDR Headquarters bears the hallmarks of terror attacks.
One of the brightest army officers who died in the "armed rebellion" was Col Gulzar Uddin Ahmed, best known for his efficient detection and operations against Islamist militants and terrorists.
The Pakistani occupation force had taken the life of his civil servant father during the War of Liberation in 1971. On February 25 at Pilkhana in an independent Bangladesh, Gulzar was killed -- his body found mutilated beyond recognition in a grim discovery that parallels a grisly death fed by deep-seated grudge.
Some government high-ups pointed to "elements of terrorism" in the carnage, but all spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
"A disciplined force cannot take to such brutality. It appears terror elements were at play," one of them told The Daily Star.
One probable route for the masterminds of the killings was to spur the border guards with the theories of "grievances" and money, the government high-ups believe.
Some believe "terror elements" infiltrated the BDR through the route of recruitment in recent years.
Gulzar was known as one of the brightest army officers of the country. His voice was last heard by friends and colleagues over cellphone when the killings began inside the Pilkhana Headquarters around 9:00am.
Soon after the massacre coupled with a hostage situation where a few hundred people remained inside Pilkhana, rescuers found as many as 74 bodies and traced 51 army officers among them.
But Gulzar was on the missing list.
There were five unidentified bodies rescued from mass graves or sewers. These bodies bear the marks of severe brutality. Only a DNA test could confirm who is who. Gulzar's family could not say if one of those bodies was his.
Organic samples from these bodies were collected and close relatives of the missing army officers also gave blood samples for the DNA testing. Samples were cross-checked with Gulzar's 14-year-old daughter Zahin Tasnia's genetic imprint.
On Tuesday, two of the DNA test results popped up, one identifying Lt Col Elahi Monjur Chowdhury and the other Gulzar.
Gulzar's mutilated body was wrongly identified initially by another family and then his body was kept at the Combined Military Hospital. Sources say everyone is now confused whether his body was recovered from the sewers or a mass grave.
Sources say the killers smashed his body. "Some of his relatives were too afraid to see the decomposing, ruined body," says a rescuer.
"Those who saw his body said his eyes might have been gouged out; his spinal cord was broken and his body bears the mark of terrible torture. Apparently, he was killed by gunshots," the rescuer adds.
A family member said his face was bloated. "It was impossible for anyone to recognise him from seeing that face."
On February 25, when the mutiny degenerated into a bloodbath inside the BDR HQ, Gulzar had no time to call his family. He last saw his family members at his Dhaka home earlier that morning.
In a frantic bid to resist the "mutineers", Gulzar called his former colleagues at the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) repeatedly, seeking help.
"He called me around 9:30am saying that random gunshots are being fired inside Pilkhana and that we should do something immediately," recalls Col Rezanur Rahman Khan, additional director general (ADG) of Rab, who replaced Gulzar in late January.
"By then we already received news about the incidents and were mobilising our troops. We were on the move and I think I told him that we were already mobilising our men," Khan says. "I have heard Gulzar called some other officers too."
Rab Deputy Director in-charge of Bomb Squad Maj Momtajur Rahman is one such officer who spoke to Gulzar by phone
"Around 9:40am, upon learning about the incident I called him. He told me: 'Bring in two platoons and make an advance, these people will escape.' Gulzar had said they [the killers] don't seem to be organised," said Rahman, who assured him of Rab's move.
"He called me back around 10:10am for a fast move. I asked him what condition he was in. He said he was lying on the floor of the Darbar Hall [where the killing had begun]," Rahman added.
That was the last call.
Rahman rang him back many times, but the calls went unanswered. At one point, the phone was unreachable, he says.
On that day, Rab mobilised its forces around 10:30am near Pilkhana. The army also sent out troops around 12noon. But neither Rab, nor the army could enter the HQ as the killers had taken advantageous position by the gates and behind walls and were ruthlessly firing machinegun bullets that killed three passers-by.
CAREER
When Rab was formed on March 26, 2004, Gulzar took charge of the commanding officer of Rab-3 on deputation from the Bangladesh Army.
As a Rab officer, his first sensational case was handling the grenade attack on British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury in May 2004. Gulzar was a member of the government committee formed to investigate the attacks.
In 2005, Gulzar was appointed the head of the Intelligence Unit of Rab from where he took up several major assignments. Of them, the most important was spearheading the investigation and operation against the Islamist militants and terrorists.
He played a major role in investigation into all other major terror attacks.
Gulzar led the drive against Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorists and succeeded in detecting and arresting the dreaded Bangla Bhai, JMB chief Shaekh Abdur Rahman and their armed followers.
He also spearheaded the drive against Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (Huji), one of the largest Islamist militant groups found to be involved with the many bomb attacks, including the grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina.
Because of his knowledge about the militants' network, Gulzar was a revered name in the country's law-enforcement and defence agencies.
At the end of 2006, Gulzar was promoted to colonel and then transferred to BDR. However, within the first one or two months of Fakhruddin Ahmed's caretaker government, he was brought back to Rab as an additional DG.
As the Awami League government's explicit commitments include a fight against terrorism and religious extremists, it was expected that the government would benefit from Gulzar's skills and knowledge on the matter.
But he was transferred to BDR as the commander of Sylhet Sector at the end of January.
After a brief vacation, he joined BDR on February 3. As per the convention, all sector commanders should join the conference at the Darbar Hall on the occasion of the BDR Week. He and 11 other sector commanders took part in it. None of them survived.
Col Rezanur Rahman Khan believes Gulzar is a "legend" in the anti-terrorist and anti-militant drives. His skill, professionalism, knowledge and sincerity are beyond question. "His commitment was unparallel," Khan says.
"We are taking his absence as a challenge. We will continue the task he has left the country with and we will uphold what he was trying to do," Khan adds.
Rab DG Hasan Mahmood Khandaker says: "He was all along a resourceful and professional officer in regards to militancy, terrorism or any heinous acts. He was honest down to the core."
"Gulzar had a high standard of commitment. His absence is a great loss for the nation," Chowdhury adds.
Gulzar's father Anwar Uddin Ahmed was a civil servant working at the Ordnance Factory in Gazipur under the defence ministry.
On April 4, 1971, the Pakistan army picked up Ahmed along with around 20-25 officers of the factory along with their families. They were brought to the parliament area in Dhaka.
The Pakistani army then separated the men from their families to kill them in a hail of bullets.
The Pakistani forces told the families that the men had been kept with the army for questioning and asked them to leave.
Anwar Uddin had never come back.
Related News
- AL leader held over mutiny link - Print
- Rebel BDR man, father, cousin arrested in Naogaon - Print
- 4 mutineers said to be ex-JMB men - Print
- JMB linked to BDR massacre: Faruk - Online
- Suspected mutiny leaders placed on fresh remand - Online
- 9 BDR soldiers being quizzed in Chittagong - Online
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Thursday, March 12, 2009 12:51 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
I am shocked .this is a heart breaki8ng incident for the people of Bangladesh.Life can not be returned. But we will remember him for his good works done for the country.Pray for his departed soul.Let her Family members have patience to recover the loss ,we pray.
Md Masudul Huq,Retd Addl IGP.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 03:12 AM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
In a country where honesty is hard to find ,the loss of Mr Gulzar will be felt ten fold. I mourn the loss of such a brave soldier and hope all the instigators of the massacre get exemplary punishment.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 01:31 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
May his soul rest in peace.
May God give strength to his family.
We sincerely wish that the perpetrators will be brought to Justice.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 01:33 AM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
Thank you for sharing this article Mr. Manik. This is a great loss not just for the army but for each and every Bangladeshi. I hope the people of Bangladesh will learn from this painful lesson and take every step to avert any future incident similar to this.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 03:45 AM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
I can't believe we lost an officer like him. May his soul rest in peace.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 01:01 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
His father died for the sake of liberation and he died while upholding the precious status of the liberation, but the paradox is that he had died by the tainted hands of his own country brothers, shame on this country, shame on us!
Thursday, March 12, 2009 05:22 AM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
The country lost a brave men like Col. Gulzar.
The BDR carnage is shocking and unbelievable.
We pray for the souls of the departed and for the safety and security of the country.
Dr. Hasanat Husain MBE
Voice for Justice, UK.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 04:36 AM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
Terror heaves a sigh of relief.
and the nation weeps for a great son.
Rest in peace, Col. Gulzar. We will forever be in your debt.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 09:38 AM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
I WON'T LET IT GO WITHOUT SEEING THE PATHETIC PUNISHMENT OF THOSE TERRORIST.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 01:21 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
I salute Mr Gulzar from the bottom of my heart. whoever is behind this killing is to be punished at any cost. I also thank Mr Manik for his valuable piece of writing.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 01:22 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
A great soul whom we lost. Col. Gulzer was a strong pillar behind the success of RAB. His wife and two daughters' loss can never be recovered again. we look forward to see the culprits be punished.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:49 AM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
Heart shocking. col Gulzar was different of category. hero of the nation. But it needs investigation not guess, to uproot the killings. Mutiny should be addressed by its root cause otherwise it will occur naturally again.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:21 AM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
we are nrb, and want to see the government of Bangladesh take some action against the armed rebellion. its shame for us to hear from the foreign citizens that the worlds most disciplined military members attacked. its really shame..
Thursday, March 12, 2009 01:15 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
We all Bangladeshi has to be UNITED up under our national red & green color flag. The recent BDR mutiny incident is a HUGE and irreparable loss to the country and its security line.
Long Live Bangladesh
Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:47 AM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
He was really a great man. May Allah gives him Jannat. Amin.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 12:24 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
I salute you from the bottom of my heart..
Thursday, March 12, 2009 12:32 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
This is an important piece, and the government should look into the issues raised here.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 01:55 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
let us pray that the root of terror finds no pol shelter as earlier.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 02:55 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
We all know about his contributions to the nation. But what an award we have given to him !!!
Thursday, March 12, 2009 03:05 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
He was a right person against terrorist, agaibst Islamist militant group like Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (Huji). JMB etc.
Now question is: why AL Govt did not want him as a commander of RAB?
Thursday, March 12, 2009 02:47 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
I can't believe Col.Gulzar is no more. But reality is that.He will never come back but hope his departed soul in peace.Govt. should take action against real culprits who creates carnage in BDR HQ. we need skilled, professional, patriotic person like col. Gulzar.We will never be heard of his voice.Almighty give strength to recover the loss of his family.Actually no words remains to say about a great patriotic officer.Grand salute to him.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 03:10 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
i was impatiently looking for a write up on this great personality since the carnage had happened and at last got it here.Thank you very much Mr. Julfikar for sharing with us. though i didnt know him personally but since Shayek Rahman case and many ohters ...he is well known to all of us. i cudnt hold my tears while reading this...what a great loss for the nation,let alone Army and his family.May Allah rest his soul in peace.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 03:20 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
One great asset of the country lost...
we will never forget you ...
Hats off to him....
Col. Gulzar and we thank you for your contribution towards BANGLADESH...
Thursday, March 12, 2009 03:30 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
When I realize the total loss of the nation, I made a comments: this is not pay dispute, No Bangali blooded people could do it. It was an assignment to kill these officers thats all. They are all of our brother & hero including Gulzar, no doubt about it. Nation, please find out who were the local coordinator. What were the roles of our various secret service groups? Why they fail to protect those assets? We like to know. May Allah give all departed souls a Jannat, may Allah help those family to overcome these great losses.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 03:56 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
No wording is applicable to the reverent great patriot like him. May Allah keep peace his soul.We have lost our most valuable one.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 04:06 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
I m sure he was not the only target, they were targeting the total concept of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, one of the rare examples where the Armed Forces has always been working shoulder to shoulder for the welfare of the country along with the elected representatives of the people in the parliament. We see martial laws and persecution by the armed forces in countries similar to or better than our political, economic level, but Bangladesh never has been in the verge of any Martial Law in its way to establish democracy. I am sure that the anti-liberation forces has a link to the massacre, especially in these days when the subject matter of trial of the war criminals hit the agenda.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 05:47 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
Its a great shame for all of us. the hero who did his best to serve us, to keep us secured, in the contrary we did nothing to save his life. shame on all d security forces and us. miss you brave heart.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 04:21 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
Country lost a Brave man...Praying for the departed soul....our Deepest ever possible thoughts for his family....
We would like to see that all the Perpetrators/Murderers identified and brought to Justice..
Thursday, March 12, 2009 04:52 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
To a great officer, Colonel Gulzar, WE SALUTE YOU!
May you rest in Heaven and we find vengeance through justice for you.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 05:08 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
This man deserves all the respect and gratitude from the people of Bangladesh.Our heartfelt condolences for his family.no one can ever replace this loss.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 05:19 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
A true patriot who risked his life and career to ensure better security for the peace loving people of Bangladesh.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 05:50 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
He was really a great man. May Allah gives him Jannat.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 06:36 PM GMT+06:00 (36 weeks ago)
Its really shocking event. we are a independent nation but why we were failed for rescue those life when 15 feet distance everything was normal. we are proven failed but almost everyone have authentic love for country and our people but surprisingly enough we turned failed with few rubbish Again and again and .......