[ALOCHONA] Re: BDR grievances beget violence

Hasan

I cannot agree with the way you understand where Ms
Syed is coming from and then say she is babbling. Even if she is
100% wrong - and she is not - she has presented her argument with the
utmost care and decorum. I can learn from her.

Be careful of early conclusions. If the BDR has corrupt millionaires
then there are more corrupt millionaires in the Army, in the business
community and in the political establishment. All efforts to turn
this into an anti BDR vendetta are misguided and play neatly into
possible preset plans of people who act against the nation.

Some in the BDR got rich through smuggling - but they paid off
police, Army and politicians. And it is the corruption of politicians
that makes the whole thing possible in the first place.

So please don't accuse people who write like Zeenat of babbling. If
her writing in unbalanced then you and I have no chance.

The violence is indeed unacceptable. But then, truth be told, we kind
of accept anything in Bangladesh. This recent disaster is just
testing the limits.

Come. Lets babble.

Ezajur Rahman
Kuwait

--- In alochona@yahoogroups.com, Choudhury Hasan <worldbznews@...>
wrote:
>
> Syed,
> While I do understand where you are coming from still I think you
are doing the same mistake again...If you look at the violence and
atrocities that was commited against the Army officials you will be
shocked. Noting can jusify violence...in this case it was
premeditated murder and in a cold blood. There was no grievances
that was deep enough to bring this kind of atrocities. BDR has more
millionaire than any group of people through their smuglling
activities. So please do get your facts right then babble.....
>  
> Look at this news about Mutiny was funded and planned..
>  
> http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=15290
>  
> Thank you.
>  
> -Hasan
>
> --- On Fri, 2/27/09, zsyed01@... <zsyed01@...> wrote:
>
> From: zsyed01@... <zsyed01@...>
> Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] BDR grievances beget violence
> To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Friday, February 27, 2009, 8:39 AM
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Mr. Hasan:
>
> Why is it when people don't agree with an argument they resort to
using expletives? Disproportionate violence? That's what you called
it correct? I agree completely. Nothing does justify violence,
bloodshed, murder, assassinations, killings, whatever you wish to
call it. Ethically, morally, legally, religiously, and socially
murder is wrong. I completely agree.
>
> But, you seem to have missed the point where I said that what has
happened is a reflection of a continued hierarchy that exists in
Bangaldeshi society today. This hierarchy seemed to have caused a
type of feeling that has led to this type of violence. I am not
justifying the violence but it is a fact that it has happened and
there is always a reason behind it. There was a motive behind it.
People are saying that this mutiny was pre-meditated. All pre-
meditated actions have a motive behind it. Unfortunately, that motive
was to shed light on what they believed was unfair treatment and the
existence of corruption in BDR that led to their unfair treatment in
terms of low pays and benefits. 
>
> It is completely reasonable to be shocked by the atrocity, to feel
bad for the departed souls and their families. It was inhuman. I
also don't understand that amnesty was granted to the "murderers".
But, I do have a question for everyone. While I agree that those who
pulled the trigger should be brought to justice and tried for their
crim es, but what happens to those who didn't pull the trigger but
were still there? Aren't the accessories to murder? Should amnesty be
granted to them? Or should every single BDR mutineer regardless
of what they have done be tried?
>
> Also, this was BDRs response to what they perceived as unequal or
unfair treatment. What will happen when the same feelings of
discontent show up in other military forces? In RAB? The police? The
masses? Can you imagine how disproportionate the violence will be at
that point? Shouldn't we take measures to fix these issues before it
happens? We don't need a guillotine do we?
>
> I am saying the BDR violence made us question certain facts
and systems that exist in our country today. Those
facts should not be ignored. By facing those facts and trying to
fix them would atleast give some meaning to the lives that were
lost, wouldn’t it?
>
> Zeenat Syed 
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Choudhury Hasan <worldbznews@ yahoo.com>
> To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
> Sent: Thu, 26 Feb 2009 1:48 pm
> Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] BDR grievances beget violence
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> =0 A
> Stupid argument!!
> What BDR's did is shear injustice and out of proportion. Killing
the daughter, wife of Major General Shakil does not constitute anger
against injustice, its Murder. These people also killed their own
soldiers who did not support them.
>
> The government should not grant amnesty to this people rather hang
them according to the law. Killing innocent bystanders are another
also murder. Letting them off the hook will give other people the
means to commit the same violence.
>
> Everytime new government comes in they try to revolt. Last time
they did it during the BNP rule, the BNP government ractified their
greivances. So why is this time? I wonder if this is like the
educational institution violence, where the rival political party
supporter fight to gain their stronghold..The violence resemblances
the likeliness of AL lead violence all over the country. Last time
BNP changed the leaders and put their like minded people in BDR, may
be this time we will see its AL minded people in the helm of BDR. I
wonder why the sudden rush of Amnesty to these criminals? The same
mistake Mujib did while pardoning the rajakars of Bangladesh.
>
> The grievances of BDR makes no sense, they are suppose to follow
the chain of command and they utterly disregarded that in the
disguise of their demand. Couple of months back USA send a fact
finding mission to augment and train this so called BDR's, and there
was plan in place to raise their salary and other benefits according
to that schedule. So why this violence now? I wonder if RAW was
involved in it to tarnish the image of Army. Operation Dal_bhat was
the most successful venture and complaining about it only tells about
the ignorance of BDR's people.
>
> BDR should be disbanded and new people should be hired in their
place. There also should be a through investigation of AL's
involvement (since in happended right after Hasina's meeting and two
weeks after Indian Foreign Ministers visit) and other forces
involvement as well....http: //www.thedailyst ar.net/newDesign /news-
details. php?nid=77653
>
> Thank you and may allah bless those innocent souls.
>
>
>
> --- On Thu, 2/26/09, zsyed01@aol. com <zsyed01@aol. com> wrote:
>
> From: zsyed01@aol. com <zsyed01@aol. com>
> Subject: [ALOCHONA] BDR grievances beget violence
> To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
> Date: Thursday, February 26, 2009, 9:48 AM
>
>
>
>
>
> Dear Alochoks:
>
> Bangladesh and Bangladeshis have a legacy of rebelling against
injustice. It may take us time but eventually we get there. The BDR
mutiny while violent and bloody is the result of years of neglect,
unfair treatment and worse a direct result of being ignored.
>
> Ideologists will always say that "Violence is never the answer".
But, rea lly would we have known so much about them, their
grievances, the neglect, the hardships and the corruption among
officers had they not taken up arms? Would they have achieved the
national recognition that they have today?
>
> I don't condone the violence but it is disturbing that it took
violence to actually shed light on a very serious issue. The
upper/uber class of Bangladesh has always ignored the lower classes.
It seems even distasteful to even classify the two groups as such but
it is the reality of the dichotomy that exists in Bangladesh today.
>
> What fears I have is that it was the BDR today, what is to stop the
general masses to pick up knives and whatever weapons they have
available and use it against the rest of the uber class? People have
to stop20being desensitized to poverty, suffering, corruption,
homelessness, hunger and the cruel realities that exist on the
streets of our nation. People have to start thinking and treating
them like people, as equals, and that they shouldnʼt be treated
inhumanely just because of an accident of birth.
>
> I am quite sure we don't want revolutions like the ones that
happened in France , Russia and China in the past.
>
> Zeenat Syed
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Isha Khan <bd_mailer@yahoo. com>
> To: zoglul@hotmail. co.uk; shahin72@gmail. com; janashah_1@yahoo.
com; alfazanambd@ yahoo.com; adelm@...; hossain.khilji@ yahoo.com;
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oo.com; farhadmazhar@ hotmail.com; kmamalik@aol. com; premlaliguras@
hotmail.com; dhakamails@yahoogro ups.com; khabor@yahoogroups. com;
alochona@yahoogroup s.com; bdresearchers@ yahoogroups. com; bangla-
vision@ yahoogroups. com; mouchakaydheel@ yahoo.com; jason@...;
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newtimes47@gmail. com; lankaguardian2007@ gmail.com
> Sent: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:19 pm
> Subject: [ALOCHONA] Soldiersʼ 50 major grievances
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Soldiersʼ 50 major grievances
>
> The Bangladesh Rifles personnel on Wednesday distributed to
journalists a leaflet containing their problems and grievances
accumulating over the years..
>    In their letter submitted to the prime minister, they
appealed for immediate government measures to address some of their
major grievances.
>    The soldiers said the paramilitary border guards that evolved
into Bangladesh Rifles from the erstwhile East Pakistan Rifles, had a
glorious role in the countryʼs war of independence which had been
imprinted in the hearts of the people.
>
>    This force, which had given its arms and ammunition to other
forces to fight the independence war and laid down their lives at
different times to protect the borders and sovereignty of the
country, has itself become subject to oppression, the letter added.
>
>    It said that for the BDR Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had appointed
23 officers in 1973 but they had been transferred elsewhere by the
milita ry junta of Ziaur Rahman through conspiracy. Today, this force
is being oppressed by the army in such a manner which was not done
even by the Pakistanis.
>
>    In the letter, they said that the 50 demands they were
placing were among hundreds of problems they were facing. The 50
demands and grievances are:
>    Recruiting officers for the BDR through BCS examinations for
its modernisation, and withdrawing all officers of the army deputed
to the BDR which a major demand of BDR soldiers.
>
>    No steps have been taken, so far, to provide full rationing
for the members of this 200-year old paramilitary force. There is
neither any ration for its retired soldiers.
>    Members of all forces and agencies, including the Ansars and
VDP are being sent to UN peacekeeping missions but no step has been
taken, so far, to send BDR personnel overseas. The pledges, made time
and again in th is regard, remain unfulfilled.
>
>    Steps have not been expedited to put an end to discrimination
in salary structures and promotion procedures..
>    BDR is being run by the Armyʼs black law. Punitive measures
are been taken under the law of 1984.
>    A policy has been formulated to punish and deprive educated
and capable persons of promotion.
>
>    It is only the BDR which is regularly facing war-like
situation on the borders but th e Army is enjoying the defence
allowance sitting back in the barracks.
>    The Army officers have sent many BDR soldiers home showing
different excuses during the Operation Dal-Bhat. In fact, Army
officers were responsible for the faults.
>    The Army officers also have distributed among themselves the
DA meant for the BDR soldiers.
>
>    All the forces and agencies, except the BDR, had received
allowances for duty during the parliamentary and upazila elections.
There is a tug of war between the officers for share of the money.
>
>    In the name of BDR welfare, retired army officers are running
18 shops in different parts of the capital. These shops do not have
any BDR personnel.
>    The vehicles bought in the name of BDRʼs welfare are being
used by the Army officers for their private purposes.
>
>    The schools inside the BDR headquarters have only a few
students from the BDR families. Most of the students are children of
the Army officers and their relatives. It is unfortunate that being
in the BDR we have to send our children to outside schools.
>
>    Our children are not allowed to take admission to the BDR
schools and the excuse is that they lack merit although the schools
were built to help our children overcome their deficiency. [When the
schools were built, we were told they were meant for our children and
for that our predecessors gave their labour..]
>
>    The wife of the present [BDR] DG was appointed to the post
above the principal of the school. A teacher in name only she draws
Taka 60,000 as honorarium per month without taking any class.
>
>    There is a dairy farm inside the BDR and only a few people
get its milk and eggs. The milk and eggs, given to the 50 members
from the Army, are much more than that given to the 8,000 members of
BDR.
>    BDR members do not receive good treatment at the BDR
hospital. Only their (army) parents and relatives and people from
their villages receive treatment. The BDR members are supplied with
cheaper medicines while army officers receive expensive drugs.
>
>    The BDR Durbar Hall has been leased out to the wife of the
present DG for an amount which is one-twentieth of its annual income.
All the lakes/ponds of the Pilkhana and other property, including
ʽPushpita Simantaʼ, worth crores of taka were leased out in her na
me or fictitious names for 99 years.
>    The cooks and sweepers of BDR are working at their [army
officers] homes and residences of their relations. The BDR troopers
have to clean all the streets of Pilkhana before dawn. They work at
their [army officers] homes. Even the naik havildars are doing it
regularly. The cooks are taken to prepare foods at functions at their
relationsʼ homes. 0A
>
>    20. The soldiers generally receive lesser amount of ration.
But the savings from the allocations for different messes are taken
to the homes of army officers and their relations.
>    21. The soldiers have to care for all the trees of the unit.
But the fruits of the trees are sent to their [army officers] homes.
>    No vehicles are purchased for the BDR troopers now. But
expensive vehicles like Pajeros are bought, which are mostly used
them [army officers] and their relations.
>
>    The army officers living in Pilkhana must have quarters. But
the BDR soldiers or officers are residing out of Pilkhana. After the
beginning of the construction of a residential quarter for the
soldiers near the farm, a plan was taken for a quarter for army
officers. Although they are living in their quarter, not a single
floor has been completed in the soldiersʼ quarters.
>
>    The soldiers are subjected to harassment over their leave....
They are sent to the borders but have to take leave after coming back
to the battalion, which is totally inhuman. BDR soldiers have to work
on the borders but their families cannot live there. They are not
even granted two monthsʼ leave. We cannot enjoy recreation leave
although employees in all organisations enjoy it [In 2001 Deshnetri
Sheikh Hasina announced two monthsʼ leave for BDR personnel after
considering their problems. But the army office rs stopped it through
machinations] .
>
>    They [army officers] come to this organisation with a small
trunk but leave with 2/3 trunks.
>    They carry out all the contractorsʼ jobs with their own
people.
>    Poor quality food is supplied to the BDR. If we protest, they
threaten us with termination of our jobs.
>    The posts designated for officers of BDR are not given
properly. Although a few are made officers, they are not given
ration/housing and other facilities. They are subjected to
harassment.
>
>    In all services and organisations special emphasis is given
on education but in this organisation there no such system. Rather
those who are a bit more educated, efforts are made to throw them out
of it.
>
>    If statistics of dismissals from different services and other
organisations since the independence of the country are taken, it
would be evident that dismissals from services without reason are
rare in other organisations.
>    More than 400 officers from the army deputed to the BDR
consider its 46,000 members their slav es. An officer needs four to
five people for cooking his food. Two [BDR men] are needed for work
at the residences of their [Army officers] relations. They are
treated like African slaves..
>
>     In the case of problems on the borders, the Indian border
guards generally have a meeting20with an army officer in command [of
the BDR troops.] It often turns out that the officer either leaves
for a UN mission or is transferred elsewhere. This results in further
complication of the problem.
>    The army covertly makes sure that the BDR does not progress
in sports (for example, when the army achieves successes in sports it
gets good coverage but the BDR wins go almost unnoticed).
>     The BDR athletes and sportsmen are k
> ept heavily involved in administrative and other activities so that
they cannot perform well.
>    It is also made sure that the morales of BDR sportsmen and
athletes are low. They are given minor awards for their achievements
but at those occasions the arrangement for army officers makes it
seem as if the prime minister is due to attend.
>
>    The director general of the BDR has smuggled Tk 30 crore to
his mother-in-lawʼ s account in the United States.
>    22 army officers have embezzled Tk 2 crore of Operation Dal-
Bhat through bank signatures of BDR personnel.
>    Twenty-two army officers have also embezzled Tk 60 crore from
the profits of Operation Dal-Bhat. =0 A
>
>    A relative of the DG went missing with Tk 50 crore of Nur
Mohammad Rifles Public School, but the matter was never investigated.
[Former] director general Rezaqul Haider Chowdhury took away Tk 40
crore and that incident was not investigated either.
>
>    It was only because of the greed of some army officers that
rice worth Tk 18 per kilogram was sold at Tk 40 per kg, and cooking
oil worth Tk 56 was sold at Tk 120 per kg through syndication at the
cost of the peopleʼs sufferings.
>    Army officers receive 30 per cent extra allowance for being
deputed to the BDR, which is sheer wastage of national resources..
>    They do not want to do anything worthwhile for the BDR for it
does not bring them [army officers] any benefits. Instead, they are
concerned with the armyʼs interests.
>
>    They use BDR carpenters and tailors for their personal
requirements. They not only use BDRʼs trees for furnishing their
homes but even distribute the timber among their neighbours.
>
>    Runners/drivers are kept busy even beyond the official duty
hours. This results in high consumption of fuel (if it is needed to
go a distance of 40 kilometres to buy a button, the army officers
make them do that).
>    Although there are a number of human rights organisations in
the country, no one talks about our rights which are being violated
all the time. (The army officers are careful not t o give any hint of
it).
>
>    Those who are a little intelligent in the BDR, are sent to
the mental ward on the BDR hospitalʼs third floor, which is used
like a prison. The m edical board there disqualifies the BDR men as
unfit for service.
>    The officers deputed to the BDR are mostly of low calibre
with little hope for further promotion. So they run their charges at
their whims.
>    We are governed by military rules but our benefits are like
those of the ansars/civilians.
>
>    At combined drills and parades, the BDR contingent
outperforms other forces all the time. But to undermine the BDR
performance, they are trained by inefficient retired captains.
>    The whole nation knows about the contribution of the BDR in
the liberation of this country. But army officers appear to have
become desperate to erase the name of this organisation from history.
>  
> http://www.newagebd .com/2009/ feb/26/front. . html
>
>
>
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