Bangladesh to investigate 2009 paramilitary mutiny massacre

Dhaka says it will probe the botched mutiny, including the role of alleged ‘foreign’ backers.

Bangladesh has ordered a commission to investigate a failed 2009 paramilitary mutiny and subsequent crackdown, including the role of alleged “foreign” backers, the inquiry chief said.

The mutineers stole thousands of weapons from the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) paramilitary force before embarking on a killing spree in the barracks in February 2009.

The uprising quickly spread, with thousands of soldiers seizing weapons and pledging allegiance to the mutineers.

The army crushed the mutiny, leaving 74 dead, including 57 army officials.

Hundreds of soldiers were handed punishments by special military courts, ranging from death to a few years in prison, with the United Nations criticising the process for failing to meet basic standards.

The violent mutiny sent shockwaves through the South Asian nation. A previous official investigation blamed years of pent-up anger among soldiers, who felt their appeals for pay rises and better treatment were ignored.

But that probe was carried out during the tenure of Sheikh Hasina, who was removed as prime minister by a revolution in August, when she fled to old ally India.

Since her fall, families of soldiers killed in the violence have been campaigning to reopen the investigation. They have repeatedly accused Hasina – then newly elected – of orchestrating a plan to weaken the military to bolster her own power in a country prone to coups.

Protesters have also alleged India’s involvement in that plot. The claims are likely to infuriate New Delhi, which did not immediately respond to the allegations.

“We aim to determine whether any foreign entity was involved in the carnage, as allegations of national and international conspiracy have been raised,” commission chief A L M Fazlur Rahman told reporters on Thursday.

Hasina’s iron-fisted rule was allegedly backed by New Delhi, and the 77-year-old remains in India, adding to fraying relations between the two nations.

On Monday, Dhaka said it had requested India send Hasina back to face charges of “massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity”.