Mutineers met secretly to take oath for killing

A group of border guard mutineers held a secret meeting at the rented house of a colleague and took an oath to kill the army officers in the force.
This was revealed as hearing on charge-framing against 850 alleged mutineers started at the Court of Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Dhaka yesterday.
Tales of conspiracy, murder, loot, arson and other grievous offences during the mutiny at the BGB headquarters unfolded during the hearing.
The prosecution read out individual charges against 80 accused yesterday and appealed to frame charges against them before the court adjourned the proceedings till April 26.
The secret meeting was held on February 24, 2009, a day before the mutiny, at the house of jawan Zakaria near the HQ. Another jawan Rafiqul Islam administered the oath of killing the officers.
Rafiqul was also charged with the offence of actively taking part in dumping the bodies of the slain officers and going to the official residence of the prime minister with some other border guards for negotiations.
It was also revealed that some of the accused took part in another secret meeting on February 15 inside Pilkhana and hatched the conspiracy.
The court proceedings began at 10:00am at the makeshift court in Bakshi Bazar with prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajol reading out the charges against prime accused deputy assistant director Towhidul Alam.
The prosecutor said accused No. 31 and former BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu encouraged the mutineers to attend the February 24 secret meeting.
He added charges against Pintu also include assisting the mutineers in the killings, dumping of bodies and arson attacks.
Kajol said Pintu also helped the accused flee after they committed the offences and brought out a procession.
"Assistance from such a leading personality encouraged the accused a lot to commit the crimes," Kajol told the court and appealed to frame charges against Pintu under different sections including sections 303 and 109 of the Penal Code.
"Political leaders often organise processions. Does it fall under sections 303 and 109 of the Penal Code?" the court asked the prosecutor. The prosecutor was also asked whether the accused made a statement under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The prosecutor replied in the negative but said there are three witnesses who had seen him helping the mutineers escape.
Earlier, Kajol said DAD Towhid led the mutiny, looting of arms and ammunition from the armoury, and attacks on army officers deputed to the then BDR that led to deaths of 74 people including 57 officers.
Towhid was also charged with leading the dumping of the bodies of officers and a team of mutineers to the official residence of the prime minister and hotel Ambala for negotiations.
The prosecutor told the court Towhid himself directed some mutineers to kill major Asad. He also declared himself as the director general of BDR and under his leadership the mutineers broke into the officers' residences to loot valuables.
Kajol said Towhid has made a confessional statement and there are enough pieces of evidence against him.
Judge Mohammad Zohurul Haque asked Towhid whether he heard the charges against him. Towhid claimed to be innocent and said the charges against him are false.
Some defence lawyers appealed to the court to record the statement of the accused after they submitted their arguments on the charges and the court agreed to it.
The prosecutor also told the court former BDR member Torab Ali knew about the conspiracy of the carnage a day before the mutiny but did not warn the authorities about it.
As the court asked him whether there is any service rule that a former member has to inform the authorities about such information, the prosecutor said it was his responsibility as a human being.
As many as 827 accused including 23 civilians were hauled before the court yesterday. Of the total 850 accused, two are dead and 21 have been absconding.