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Probe body fails to submit report in four months
Four months have already elapsed without much headway made in the investigation into incidents of unnatural deaths of BDR soldiers in custody while the probe committee has sought another two months to complete its task.
'The committee has sought more time to properly investigate each of the incidents of unnatural death of BDR men in Dhaka and other districts…We are planning to visit the scenes of occurrence in Bogra, Joypurhat, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Meherpur, which is time-consuming,' a member of the probe committee told New Age on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the head of the probe committee, Zakir Hossain, has been promoted to the rank of joint secretary and made an officer on special duty, which might further delay the process, he said.
'The committee will not be allowed any more time since we have extended the deadline several times… Now the body will have to submit its report,' home secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder told New Age.
The committee has to look into each case separately and examine the medical reports on the deaths. 'It is a massive task. We have not yet got any medical report on any death while the number of such deaths is on the rise. Initially, the number was 24,' said the member who wanted not to be quoted.
So far, at least 39 BDR jawans have died unnatural deaths in custody in Dhaka and elsewhere since the February 25-26 bloody rebellion at the BDR headquarters. The mutiny left 75 people, including 57 army officers deputed to the border force, killed and many others injured, according to official records.
'The committee has also asked for guidelines regarding the head of the committee who is now an officer on special duty on his promotion. He can continue to lead the body if such instruction is given,' said the probe body member.
The home ministry's probe committee, formed on May 14 with deputy secretary Zakir Hossain as its head, missed the deadline for the fourth time on September 13. As the third deadline for submitting the report expired on July 26, the government on July 29 gave it one-month time to facilitate 'better investigation into the incidents' in the aftermath of the February mutiny at the BDR headquarters.
The four-member committee formed with representatives from BDR and police was initially supposed to submit its report within 15 days.
The government initiated the executive inquiry into unnatural deaths of members of the paramilitary force, who were taken into custody on suspicion of their involvement in the mutiny, in the face of pressure from local and international rights groups.
Police so far arrested more than 3,000 BDR soldiers at different places across the country in connection with the bloody rebellion in BDR that stunned the nation and put the two-month old government on an embarrassing spot.
Of the arrested, seven reportedly committed suicide, eight died of 'heart attack' and the other 20 deaths were caused by various diseases, according to the BDR authorities. http://www.newagebd.com/2009/sep/14/front.html |