Argument ends in Sylhet, deposition in Khagrachhari

Argument between the prosecution witnesses and 34 mutineers, who had earlier claimed innocence before the special court-14 in Sylhet, ended yesterday afternoon.
The court, set up at Sylhet BDR Sector headquarters, then adjourned the trial of 61 rebels of 38 Rifles Battalion until 8:30am on December 30.
On Monday, the court headed by Col SM Farhad framed mutiny charges against 61 jawans of the battalion. Two other members are Lt Col Akhtaruzzaman and Major Maksudul Alam. Of the accused, 34 claimed innocence while the rest confessed to their involvement in the mutiny on February 26 last year.
The court on Tuesday completed recording deposition of 21 prosecution witnesses. They said the accused took control of 38 Battalion in the city's Akhalia area on Sylhet-Sunamganj Highway on February 26, 2009. They blocked the road in front of the battalion headquarters, set a number of vehicles afire and fired blank shots.
Deputy Attorney general Farhad Ahmed represented the attorney general while special public prosecutors Gazi Zillur Rahman and Habibur Rahman Sheikh were present.
The then officer-in-charge of Sylhet Kotwali Police Station Syeduzzaman filed three separate cases with the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court on May 17 last year against the BDR rebels of Sylhet Sector headquarters and two battalions under the sector. They were immediately arrested and produced in the court that sent them to the jail.
Our Khagrachhari correspondent reported that the special court-15 yesterday completed taking deposition of 21 witnesses in the mutiny case against 47 BDR men of 29 Rifles Batalian under Khagrachhari sector.
After recording statements of the PWs, the court headed by Chittagong Sector Commander Lt Col Zahedur Rahman adjouned the trial proceedings until 9:00am today. Two other members of the special court are Lt Col Abdur Nur and Major AZM Golam Mostafa AL Mamun.
The court also asked the authorities concerned to produce all the 47 accused in the court at 9:00 am. Four of the accused had earlier confessed to their involvement in the mutiny on February 26 last year while the remaining 43 claimed innocence.
Deputy Attorney General Kazi Mohammad Ejarul Haque Akand, and special public prosecutors Md. Habibur Rahman and Aminur Rahman Khan were present.