On 25th February 2010, Bangladesh will observe the first year of the massacre inside the headquarters of Bangladesh Riffles [border security forces], where more than 56 army officers were brutally murdered, many of the family members of those officers humiliated and raped. Awami League led grand alliance government has though decided to observe this day as 'Pilkhana Killing Day', there is no sign of any progress in the investigation into this heinous crime of the history of Bangladesh.
http://www.samakal.com.bd/details.php?news=13&action=main&option=single&news_id=49052&pub_no=259
It is known to all that government assigned senior police officer Abdul Kahhar Akhand as the chief investigation officer to investigate the massacre. Being appointed, Mr. Akhand told reporters on numerous occasions that his entire process of investigation would be completed in 'three months'. But, now, it is clear that though one year has already passed, there is no sign of submitting the investigation report, nor there is any hope of ultimately trying the killers and their masterminds of this notorious crime.
Initially after the incident, several senior members of the ruling party as well the government continued making series of statements accusing various parties to be involved behind February 25 Pilkhana massacre. Commerce minister Lt. Col. Faruk Khan championed all by making self-contradictory statements on this issue thus putting accusations on "foreign forces" to "Talibans" to "Anti liberation forces". And, shall I mention the home minister Advocate Sahara Khatun's role? I think it is better not to!
Officials of Bangladesh Army described the 'mutiny' as the biggest massacre of defense commanders anywhere in the world, saying the impoverished South Asian nation's powerful military will need quite a long time to recover from such tremendous loss. Brigadier-General Mahmud Hossain, Director of Military Intelligence told reporters that, Bangladesh Army was ready to storm the headquarters of the BDR here soon after the mutiny erupted, but heeded to Premier Sheikh Hasina's advice at the last minute to resolve the issue politically.
He said the army was ready to put down the BDR mutiny soon after it began, but decided to support Prime Minister Hasina's decision to solve the issue politically.Terming it "possibly the worst massacre of Army officers in Bangladesh's history", Brig Hossain said the anger among the armed forces was very natural.
Outraged over the killing of its officers during the brutality of BDR soldiers, the Bangladesh Army demanded "maximum" punishment for those involved in the massacre."Exemplary punishment of the culprits will cool our resentment. Our demand is that the investigation into the killings should be quickened and maximum punishment should be given to those persons responsible for them," Brig. Hossain said.
I think now it is not necessary at all to comment as to whether the 'political resolution formula' of the Prime Minister was correct or not, as the matter is now under investigation, and any comment in this direction may lead or mislead the investigators, if they at all are interested yet in pressing the investigation process to a conclusion. We did not hear about the progress in the investigation by senior official of Criminal Investigation Department [CID] Abdul Kahhar Akhand. It is also a reality that this gentleman is over-burdened with numerous investigations in other 'sensitive' cases, and possibly he hardly finds any time in looking into the February Massacre case. No one knows when the investigation will conclude or whether it will see the light at all. Critics say the investigation into the February Massacre case has already been sent to 'cold storage'. I am sure, those having minimal knowledge about this matter will understand the reason behind such fate of the investigation.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has repeatedly said that no killing shall go unaddressed in Bangladesh. Surely she was pointing to the tragic murder of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Jail killing and attempt on her life. Certainly the perpetrators of the mentioned notorieties deserve punishment. No one will disagree on this point. But, what makes me feel sad is, the government is very tactfully trying to put cloud on the February Massacre case and doing everything to ensure the total process to be delayed. And, there is saying – justice delayed is justice denied. Are those family members of martyred army officers as well those affected members of their families not going to see the killers and conspirators of February massacre punished?
http://www.weeklyblitz.net/521/february-massacre-in-bangladesh
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