BDR chief hints at long ignored problems
Dhaka, Feb 2 (bdnews24.com) — Bangladesh border guards chief, Major General Moinul Islam has suggested that the general tendency of overlooking problems had perhaps led to the BDR mutiny last year.
It was only after the bloody rebellion by soldiers of the Bangladesh Rifles that the authorities realised "the dirt under the carpet" had piled up.
In an exclusive interview with bdnews24.com on Feb 1 he candidly admitted, "We have a tendency to sweep the dirt under the carpet."
Hinting that the problems had piled up to unsustainable proportions, the BDR chief said, "But only after the carpet was bloodied by 58 fallen officers, did we find out that there was too much dirt under it."
The Bangladesh Rifles, has a rich history of valour and courage in not only protecting Bangladesh's borders but also for their role in the Liberation War.
In fact 2 of the 7 men awarded Bangladesh's highest gallantry award, the Bir Sreshtha, were riflesmen of the then East Pakistan Rifles — lance nayeks Nur Mohammad Sheikh and Munshi Abdur Rauf — besides receiving about 150 more gallantry awards for their role in the 9-month war for freedom.
The BDR men have since then defended the country's borders numerous times, often against a larger and better equipped opposition, protecting Bangladesh's sovereignty.
The BDR chief, appointed after his predecessor was executed by riflesmen on Feb 25, 2009, the first day of the two-day mutiny that shocked the entire nation, admitted openly that it was indeed a reflection of failure of huge proportions.
Referring to the prime minister's visit to Pilkhana, where 58 officers were executed by their soldiers, on the occasion of BDR Week, Moinul Islam said, "Even the PM had visited there the day before."
"The rebellion occurred the next day. That it was a failure of huge proportions does not need to be elaborated."
Almost a year later, the wounds have not yet healed.
Officials probe reports are yet to be submitted and made public. Trial of the mutineers is still underway as are the much needed reforms that the major general implicitly admitted to.
He said the BDR simply followed Pakistan's EPR model. But there will not be any major changes in that model other than increasing the border forces' personnel and weapons strength.
Moinul Islam said there were proposals to create 179 new Border Outposts (BOP). These include 89 BOPs along certain stretches where they be made denser (one every 5km instead of previous 9km).
They also include 69 BOPs in the hill tracts to ensure constant surveillance over certain stretches that were missed out before.
The reforms would require only about 2,300 additional members besdies the nine battalions approved from even before the mutiny last year, said the BDR boss.
These much needed reforms will also extend to the forces' scope of work, uniform and even its name, under provisions of the proposed 'Border Guard Bangladesh Act 2009', which Moinul Islam had submitted to the government on Dec 15, 2009.
There are also proposals to increase penalties for riflesmen, because according to the previous laws, the maximum sentence for riflesmen was seven years' imprisonment, apparently deemed insufficient for murder, rape, loot and arson that the riflesmen have been accused of.
General Islam's submission proposes death penalty for more severe crimes.
The BDR chief, however, refused to make comments about the CID investigation into the BDR massacre.
But he said, "The number of people arrested till now is for the murder charges filed against them with the New Market Police Station."
The BDR men had also allegedly killed a number of civilian pedestrians on the first day of the mutiny on Feb 25 last year.
The initial draft proposed to form mobile courts to resist smuggling which was later dropped. The mobile courts can sentence a smuggler to a maximum sentence of two years in prison following arrest.
The BDR director general elaborated on this matter and said that the final proposal excluded the provision of mobile courts. It was sent to the ministry concerned on Monday.
"Currently the draft is waiting to be presented at the cabinet meeting."
As part of the reforms, there is a proposal to change BDR's name to 'Border Guard Bangladesh' in the proposed law.
A highly placed source within the BDR told bdnews24.com that the new draft has been formulated proposing to dissolve the Bangladesh Rifles Order 1972 and Bangladesh Rifles (Special Provision) Ordinance 1976.
The proposed draft has provisions to form three types of courts for trials. They are the Special Courts, Special Summary Courts and Summary Courts. The Special Courts can award death sentences; the Special Summary Courts can give a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment and the Summary Court can give a highest verdict of one year imprisonment based on the severity of the crime.
There is also provision for appeals against the verdict. The appeal tribunal to be presided over by the border forces' chief, can review the verdict and lower or raise the sentence.
It was only after the bloody rebellion by soldiers of the Bangladesh Rifles that the authorities realised "the dirt under the carpet" had piled up.
In an exclusive interview with bdnews24.com on Feb 1 he candidly admitted, "We have a tendency to sweep the dirt under the carpet."
Hinting that the problems had piled up to unsustainable proportions, the BDR chief said, "But only after the carpet was bloodied by 58 fallen officers, did we find out that there was too much dirt under it."
The Bangladesh Rifles, has a rich history of valour and courage in not only protecting Bangladesh's borders but also for their role in the Liberation War.
In fact 2 of the 7 men awarded Bangladesh's highest gallantry award, the Bir Sreshtha, were riflesmen of the then East Pakistan Rifles — lance nayeks Nur Mohammad Sheikh and Munshi Abdur Rauf — besides receiving about 150 more gallantry awards for their role in the 9-month war for freedom.
The BDR men have since then defended the country's borders numerous times, often against a larger and better equipped opposition, protecting Bangladesh's sovereignty.
The BDR chief, appointed after his predecessor was executed by riflesmen on Feb 25, 2009, the first day of the two-day mutiny that shocked the entire nation, admitted openly that it was indeed a reflection of failure of huge proportions.
Referring to the prime minister's visit to Pilkhana, where 58 officers were executed by their soldiers, on the occasion of BDR Week, Moinul Islam said, "Even the PM had visited there the day before."
"The rebellion occurred the next day. That it was a failure of huge proportions does not need to be elaborated."
Almost a year later, the wounds have not yet healed.
Officials probe reports are yet to be submitted and made public. Trial of the mutineers is still underway as are the much needed reforms that the major general implicitly admitted to.
He said the BDR simply followed Pakistan's EPR model. But there will not be any major changes in that model other than increasing the border forces' personnel and weapons strength.
Moinul Islam said there were proposals to create 179 new Border Outposts (BOP). These include 89 BOPs along certain stretches where they be made denser (one every 5km instead of previous 9km).
They also include 69 BOPs in the hill tracts to ensure constant surveillance over certain stretches that were missed out before.
The reforms would require only about 2,300 additional members besdies the nine battalions approved from even before the mutiny last year, said the BDR boss.
These much needed reforms will also extend to the forces' scope of work, uniform and even its name, under provisions of the proposed 'Border Guard Bangladesh Act 2009', which Moinul Islam had submitted to the government on Dec 15, 2009.
There are also proposals to increase penalties for riflesmen, because according to the previous laws, the maximum sentence for riflesmen was seven years' imprisonment, apparently deemed insufficient for murder, rape, loot and arson that the riflesmen have been accused of.
General Islam's submission proposes death penalty for more severe crimes.
The BDR chief, however, refused to make comments about the CID investigation into the BDR massacre.
But he said, "The number of people arrested till now is for the murder charges filed against them with the New Market Police Station."
The BDR men had also allegedly killed a number of civilian pedestrians on the first day of the mutiny on Feb 25 last year.
The initial draft proposed to form mobile courts to resist smuggling which was later dropped. The mobile courts can sentence a smuggler to a maximum sentence of two years in prison following arrest.
The BDR director general elaborated on this matter and said that the final proposal excluded the provision of mobile courts. It was sent to the ministry concerned on Monday.
"Currently the draft is waiting to be presented at the cabinet meeting."
As part of the reforms, there is a proposal to change BDR's name to 'Border Guard Bangladesh' in the proposed law.
A highly placed source within the BDR told bdnews24.com that the new draft has been formulated proposing to dissolve the Bangladesh Rifles Order 1972 and Bangladesh Rifles (Special Provision) Ordinance 1976.
The proposed draft has provisions to form three types of courts for trials. They are the Special Courts, Special Summary Courts and Summary Courts. The Special Courts can award death sentences; the Special Summary Courts can give a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment and the Summary Court can give a highest verdict of one year imprisonment based on the severity of the crime.
There is also provision for appeals against the verdict. The appeal tribunal to be presided over by the border forces' chief, can review the verdict and lower or raise the sentence.
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