Trial of 24 'mutineers' on

A special court at the battalion headquarters of Bangladesh Rifles at Lalmonirhat where trial of 24 mutineers of Lalmonirhat 31 Rifles Battalion under Rangpur Sector started yesterday.Photo: STAR

Trial of 24 mutineers of 31 Rifles Battalion under Rangpur sector began at special court- 2 of Bangladesh Rifles at the battalion headquarters in Lalmonirhat yesterday.
The plaintiff, Subedar Major Habibur Rahman read out the charges against 24 jawans while prosecutor Lt Col Aslam Hossain, also the commanding officer of 31 Rifles Battalion, placed his submission before the three-member court headed by BDR Director General Maj Gen Rafiqul Islam.
Two other members of the court are Lt Col Mahfuzur Rahaman and Major Didar Al Latif. Deputy Attorney General Goutom Kumar Roy was present in the court as a representative of the Attorney General's office.
Two others lawyers--advocate Gazi Zillur Rahman and advocate Belayet Hossain--were present as public prosecutors.
The BDR men have been accused of looting arms from armoury at 31 Rifles Battalion headquarters at Lalmonirhat, ransacking rooms and creating panic by firing blank shots.
Of the 24 accused, 15 were arrested earlier while the rest nine arrested at the battalion headquarters yesterday as per court order.
The court adjourned the trial proceedings until 8:30am today.