Sepoy Selim sought media help before BDR mutiny

A private TV station reporter yesterday told a court that sepoy Selim Reza, one of the main accused in the Pilkhana carnage case, had requested him several times before the 2009 BDR mutiny to make a news report against army officers.
Selim along with a colleague went to private TV channel ATN Bangla office just 10 days before the mutiny and showed senior reporter SM Babu some leaflets containing their demands and allegations against the army's commanding officers in then BDR, now Border guard Bangladesh (BGB).
Babu, who is now a special correspondent, told this to the court set up to hold the BDR carnage trial in the capital's Bakshibazar.
He said that Selim called him on February 6 and again on the 15th seeking appointment to talk over the issue. The last day, Babu told him to come to his office in the evening.
"As they appeared [at the ATN Bangla office], I asked him to bring more authentic evidence and to talk on-camera. They went back and did not contact for the next few days," he said in his deposition before the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court.
On February 23, Selim phoned Babu several times and requested him again to make and air the report on the army's activities within that day, saying it was the right time as the prime minister was scheduled to visit the BDR headquarters the next day.
Babu said he suggested them rather to talk to the premier directly to solve the problems.
On February 25, Babu called Selim several times after the mutiny broke out but he did not pick up the calls. The next day, Selim called him around 11:00am and said that the BDR jawans revolted. They contacted several times over phone till 2:00pm, Babu claimed.
"We aired our phone conversations that day. We also talked on February 26 and 27 but he [Selim] neither say about the killing nor admitted anything. By that time, we came to know that BDR jawans have killed many people inside Pilkhana," he added.
A total of 73 people, including 57 army officers, were killed during the murderous mutiny at Pilkhana on February 25-26 in 2009.