Dispose of Pilkhana carnage case by this year, demands BNP
Expressing displeasure over the delay in punishing perpetrators, BNP yesterday demanded announcement of BDR mutiny murder case's final verdict by this year.
"Twelve years have elapsed, but it has not been possible to finally dispose of the [Pilkhana] murder case. We're disappointed, and people are shocked over the delay in the trial. This case is moving at a very slow pace," said BNP Vice Chairperson Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed.
"We don't see any sign that the process of leave-to-appeal will begin this year. We urge the judiciary to ensure speedy trial of the murder case. We hope the final verdict will be delivered within this year," he said.
The BNP leader also expected that the convicted will be executed soon after the verdict is pronounced.
Hafiz came up with the remarks while talking to reporters, after placing wreaths at a monument set up at Banani graveyard, in memory of the army officials killed in the Pilkhana carnage, on its 12th anniversary .
A total of 74, including 57 army officials, were killed during the mutiny that took place at Pilkhana headquarters on February 25-26, 2009.
On November 5, 2013, a Dhaka court gave death sentence to 152 people, and life imprisonment to 160 in the case. On November 27, 2017, the High Court confirmed death penalty for 139 out of the 152 accused.
Hafiz, a retired army officer, demanded that the report of the Court of Inquiry, headed by then quartermaster General Lieutenant General Jahangir, be made public.
He said the perpetrators of the heinous massacre should be punished through a fair investigation and trial, as this incident could have a serious impact.
The BNP leader alleged that Pilkhana carnage was carried out to weaken Bangladesh's military. People also want to know clearly who exactly the beneficiaries of the tragic incident are.
He alleged that an Awami League leader, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment by a lower court, was later acquitted. "Only some people, not all those who had direct involvement in the killings, have been brought to justice."
He said the local and international conspirators who planned the carnage remains behind the scenes. "Their identities are not clear to people. We urge the government to bring all those who plotted and planned the barbaric incident to justice."
The BNP leader alleged that the family of a Subedar major of then BDR, who was killed during the massacre for his efforts to protect the army officers, still did not get any support from the government. "I hope the government will immediately give attention to the matter."
Stating that families of the slain army officers are living in severe misery and grief, Hafiz hoped that the offenders of this brutal incident will be brought to justice soon to bring peace to their minds and the souls of martyrs.
He said their party wants good governance, democracy and the rule of law to be "restored" in the country in a very short time.
Hafiz along with party leaders and ex-army officials went to the graveyard around 10:45am and placed wreaths at the monument and offered prayers, seeking eternal peace for the departed souls.
BNP vice chairpersons Air Vice Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and Maj (retd) Shahjahan Omar; Kalyan Party Chairperson Maj Gen (retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim; retired army officers Fazle Elahi Akbar, colonels Ishaq Manish Dewan and Kamruzzaman, majors Hanif, Sarwar Hossain, Saidul Islam and Hasan, were, among others, present.
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