The Peelkhana Tragedy : Bangladesh and Regional Perspectives
By Dr. K. M. A. Malik, Cardiff, UK
Introduction
During February 25-26, 2009, the whole nation witnessed, rather helplessly, the most barbarous assault on the defence forces of Bangladesh. At the BDR headquarters at Peelkhana, Dhaka, a group of BDR personnel staged a so-called 'rebellion' or 'mutiny' and engaged in a brutal campaign of violence, murder, rape, arson and other heinous crimes against their commanding officers and their families. The officers were all deputed from the Armed forces and serving at different levels in the BDR.
This was the worst possible massacre of the armed force officers in the country's history. Victims of murder included 57 serving army officers and 17 others. Other crimes involved widespread looting of properties and of huge quantities of arms and ammunition, arson and rape.
What led to the tragedy?
Some vested groups have said that the Massacre resulted only from the BDR soldiers' long standing grievances against their commanding army officers, for poor pay and service conditions, etc.
But a dominant view is that these factors might have played some part in motivating the ordinary soldiers to stage a 'mutiny' against their commanders, but this alone cannot explain the gruesome event, systematic murder campaign to annihilate a significant portion of the officers of Bangladesh defence forces with unspeakable brutality. The 'mutiny' must have other dimensions with a hidden agenda to inflict a mortal blow to the Bangladesh defence forces including those guarding the country's borders.
The entire Bangladesh is convinced that "Peelkhana massacre was the outcome of a long and deep-rooted conspiracy." Even the Prime Minister and several government leaders as well as the opposition leaders and security analysts said publicly that there was a conspiracy behind the carnage. However, there are clear differences about the nature of 'conspirators'.
The truth is: the real nature of the Conspiracy has not yet been unearthed. The mystery behind the Peelkhana carnage and the behind-the-scene masterminds and actors of these horrendous crimes are yet to be exposed.
Cover Up?
Immediately after the event, the government instituted several inquiry committees. But none of these reports has met with the public demand for the truth. Scrutiny of various steps taken by the government and some pre-emptive remarks made by some ministers and MPs, one can detect a clear attempt by the government to hide from the public some vital aspects of the truth.
Thousands of BDR soldiers were detained and questioned. Most attention is given to only those BDR soldiers who took direct part in the mutiny. But no serious attempts are being made to identify the real masterminds (local and/or foreign) behind the crimes.
There remain serious questions regarding the 'mysterious deaths' of a large number of BDR personnel under custody. Whatever the government may say, many people believe that most of these personnel were 'permanently removed' for some ulterior motives.
What happened to three of the four army officers in charge of intelligence within the BDR headquarters on the fateful days? Where is the statement of the only surviving officer? We need to know why so many people met unnatural deaths. What sorts of information they provided to the authorities? Did they reveal the identities of their controllers?
Why the telephone conversations from some leaders of the mutiny to their controllers within the country and abroad are not made public? Is it true that these call records have been destroyed?
There are hundreds of questions that remain unanswered and unexplained. The government cannot escape their responsibility by pointing accusing fingers to political opponents or by resorting to diversionary tactics.
Foreign involvement?
There is widespread belief and circumstantial evidence to suggest that the Massacre was a well-planned 'Commando' operation carried at the behest of a foreign intelligence agency. The suspected culprit is R&AW and/or some of its covert outfits. Obviously, few agents within Bangladesh security services and political establishments helped R&AW to execute the plan without exposing the involvement of their mentors and controllers. Those BDR soldiers carrying out the crimes directly were only 'foot-soldiers', most of whom probably did not understand in the beginning that they were being pushed into an extremely dangerous game that would bring disaster not only to themselves but also to their families, to the armed forces, to the BDR and to the country's security system. The foot soldiers are now paying the price, while their controllers remain officially unexposed.
R&AW and India's geo-strategy
R&AW is like CIA, MI5, KGB, ISI, MOSSAD and other intelligence agencies, which advance their respective country's strategic, military, economic, political, cultural and other interests, by a host of overt and covert operations. In South Asian region, the agency and its several other outfits have long been very vigorously active especially in Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Bangladesh to establish its total political, economic and strategic hegemony over these countries. It is also very active in Myanmar, Afghanistan and several central Asian countries to extend India's external sphere of influence. There are numerous documentary evidences to prove R&AW's operations in these countries. The involvement of R&AW in the Peelkhana Conspiracy is a real possibility for many reasons.
Indian rulers have always advocated a policy of expanding their hegemony over the whole South Asian region. During the last two decades, with increasing economic and military might, they have forged strong strategic and military alliances with the USA and Israel. India has now become more ambitious and feels less constrained to interfere in the political, military, economic and other spheres of less powerful countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Importance of Bangladesh in India's geo-strategy
India fought a disastrous border war with China in 1962, the main theatre being the Arunachal Prodesh or South Tibet, which lies north east of Bangladesh. The dispute involves a territory of about 25000 square miles and still remains unresolved. It is not impossible that at some future time, this area would become a flash point for another India-China confrontation.
India's defence and strategic establishments fear that China may have a sophisticated strategy to severe India from its seven northeastern states by linking up with Bangladesh across the Siliguri Corridor (the so-called Chicken Neck). The seven sister states have tremendous natural resources.
Also, the armed insurgencies or freedom struggles in the so-called 'seven sister' northeastern states have long been a big problem for India and its military strategists. India cannot fight these insurgent groups without physical and security co-operations by Bangladesh.
In order to fully establish India's authority by eliminating the 'insurgency' threat in the region and also to prepare for any future conflict with China, it is imperative for India to bring Bangladesh under its strategic and military fold.
The location of Bangladesh is an eye-shore to the strategists of India. In a conflict situation if a hostile Bangladesh, Nepal and/or China cuts off the Siliguri Corridor, there is no way (apart from very expensive and dangerous air-lifts) for Indian troops/arms/ammunition reaching the north east.
Therefore, if Bangladesh does not allow 'free passage' of Indian military personnel, arms and ammunition through its territory, it is extremely difficult for India to eliminate the insurgency threat and also to prepare adequately for a future conflict with China.
For the same strategic reasons, India also needs to bring Nepal, Bhutan (already under Indian thumb), Myanmar and Sri Lanka under its hegemony.
India and Bangladesh armed forces
India's policy towards Bangladesh defence was made very clear before its armed forces intervened directly in Bangladesh war in 1971. In a secret treaty, which the Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed of the government-in-exile, was coerced to sign with India, it was clearly stated that the new country would not have any 'army' but only a security force for maintenance of internal law and order.
Over the years, Bangladesh has built up moderately strong armed forces, which the Indian rulers have looked with suspicion. Procurement of arms from China, Pakistan and several western countries was not to India's liking. Protests and resistance by the BDR to the BSF atrocities in the border areas are considered by India as 'unfriendly' acts. The utter defeat of BSF aggressors at the hands of BDR at Roumari in April 2001 was an event, which the Indian rulers never forgot or forgave.
The Bangladesh army and BDR have always been demonized by Indian media and R&AW-inspired defence analysts as well as by some leading political leaders. Unfortunately, some of their Bangladeshi agents and followers have also argued for the abolition of Bangladesh army, suggesting the handover of security of the country to India. Invoking the exaggerated threat from the 'Islamic militants' or ISI-sponsored Taliban/al-Qaeda has been a constant theme in the propaganda war against Bangladesh and its defence forces.
There is no country in the world, apart from India and perhaps its strategic anti-Muslim partner Israel, to see Bangladesh defence forces to be destroyed or appended to India's security system.
In the wake of Peelkhana tragedy, the talks of joint forces for anti-terrorism tasks and joint border management seem to be motivated and serve India's strategic and security interests. This could be a ploy to bring Bangladesh army, BDR, security agencies under Indian control. Some misguided politicians may be too naïve to understand the real agenda.
The BDR massacre has ruined the border defence of the country, making BSF more aggressive. Even after the so-called peace offensives by the Prime Ministers of the two countries, killings of Bangladesh nationals by BSF have not diminished. During the last 13 months, BSF has killed 99, injured 849 and abducted 897 Bangladeshi nationals at different border areas. They have also embarked on illegal land grabbing and intrusion into Bangladesh territories. BDR forces are helpless, demoralized, without strong guidance to perform their duties.
The greatest tragedy, however, is that in the wake of the Paeelkhana tragedy, a large number of defence forces personnel has been forced-retired or dismissed on the suspicion that they are not 'proven' supporters of the ruling party. Even most of those officers who, in their meeting with the Prime Minister immediately after the Massacre, raised some awkward questions regarding the roles of the government and General Moeen in responding to the SOS calls from BDR DG Maj. Gen. Shakeel and other officers (before the killing process started), have been forced out of service.
Bangladesh in wider strategic landscape
Many analysts believe that Bangladesh is now a part of the 'field' on which the 'great game' is played by the big powers. It is a part of rebalancing of world's forces - a re-configuration before World War III.
USA wants India to be its Strategic ally in Asia (as Israel is its partner in the Middle East), before its confrontation with China in coming decades. For this, India cannot afford to be encircled by Pakistan in the west, Nepal and China in the north and northeast, Bangladesh and Myanmar in the east and Sri Lanka in the south.
There is doubt that India's strategic scenario will be to draw in at least Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka into its sphere of influence so as to keep its eastern and southern flanks free. Having Nepal under its thumb is also necessary.
We live in a period of historical change, which happens once in every 200-300 years. The world's economic and geo-political tectonic plates are shifting from the west to east. It is imperative for us to understand this strategic re-balancing of world's forces that are happening right now.
Conclusion
The BDR Massacre has inflicted serious injuries to the defence and security forces of the country. There are more dangers ahead and more conspiracies will be hatched to make Bangladesh a vassal state of foreign powers. All patriotic nationalist forces, irrespective of political affiliation, religious beliefs and ethnicity, must unite, remain vigilant and face the country's enemies with courage.
-----------------------------------
* The essay is a slightly edited version of the keynote paper presented at the Seminar on "The Peelkhana Tragedy: Bangladesh and Regional Perspectives", held on 6 March, 2010, at Devenant Centre, London.
__._,_.___
