20 mutineers sentenced to jail in C'nawabganj

Twenty jawans of 39 Battalion of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were yesterday sentenced to prison terms ranging from six months to six years for their involvement in the February 2009 mutiny at the battalion headquarters in Chapainawabganj.
The special court-12 headed by Rajshahi Sector Commander Col Ehia Azam Khan also fined the convicts Tk 100 each. Two other members of the court are Lt Col Khalid Hossain and Lt Commander (BN) Touhidul Islam.
The court acquitted a jawan as charges brought against him could not be proved.
Of the mutineers, two were jailed for six years, four for three years, two for two years and six months, two for two years, five for one year and six months, two for one year and one was jailed for five years, one for four years, and the other for six months.
During the trial, six of the 21 jawans confessed to their involvement in the mutiny at the battalion headquarters on February 26, 2009 and begged for mercy while the rest claimed innocence.
Ahsanul Haque, the then officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar Police Station, filed a mutiny case with the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court against 21 jawans on May 18, 2009.
Following the case, the accused were arrested and produced in the court that sent them to jail.
In the case statement, the complainant alleged that the jawans took control of the battalion, expressing solidarity with the mutineers of BGB headquarters at Pilkhana in the capital.
They revolted against their officers, looted firearms and ammunition from armoury and fired blank shots.
The special court framed charges against the rebels on March 20 and completed recording depositions of 25 prosecution witnesses in the case on March 22.