Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced amnesty for the mutineers of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) A long 10 hour standoff ended late Wednesday evening after prime minister Sheikh Hasina declared general pardon for revolting BDR men and pledged to meet their demands in phases, a state minister said. The mutineers had agreed to surrender their arms after a meeting with the prime minister at her official residence, state minister for local government Jahangir Kabir Nanak told reporters. The prime minister also urged the BDR members to surrender their arms and return to barrack. State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanak, who attended the meeting between the prime minister and BDR representatives, told reporters that the mutineers were granted amnesty this evening. Following the meeting, BDR Deputy Assistant Director Touhid told reporters that they would surrender arms and go back to barrack."We had talks with the prime minister and we agreed to return to barracks," Touhid said. A 14-soldier BDR team went to the prime minister's official residence Jamuna for talks.Mutinous BDR members earlier said they would call a ceasefire after holding talks with the prime minister and Home Minister Sahara Khatun. Nanak said the prime minister would hold a video conference with the BDR jawans at Pilkhana in a bid to calm the situation. At least one civilian was confirmed dead and 7 were wounded as heavy gunfire erupted in and around Bangladesh Rifles Headquarters in the morning. A number of top BDR officers were killed inside the compound, several soldiers and officers were wonded sources said. http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=248964 |
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