7th ANNIVERSARY of BDR carnage
Trauma haunts victims� relatives
Habibullah Mizan
Seven years into the brutal massacre of 57 brilliant army
officers, trauma of the incident still haunts the relatives
of the victims.
Akib Mahbub Protik, younger son of Major Abdus Salam Khan, one of the army officers brutally killed by some misguided members of then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) at the Pilkhana headquarters in an so called revolt that started on February 25, 2009, has expressed his anger and frustration as the sentenced killers are yet to be executed.
The trial court awarded death penalty to 150 soldiers of the erstwhile BDR and two civilians, and sentenced 161 others to life imprisonment for their involvement in the carnage but following appeals by the convicts, the cases are now being heard by the High Court.
Protik, now an O-Level student under London University, said that even seven years neither the family nor the
nation knows who the masterminds and patronisers of the killings were.
While talking to The Independent, Luna Khan, niece
of the martyred officer, said that after completing a mission in Sudan, he joined the BDR headquarters six months before he was killed.
Mahmuda Begum Bonnaya, wife of Major Salam Khan, remembers the tragic day: It was around 7am. My husband left for work without having breakfast. When I told him to eat something, he said duty comes first and that he would have breakfast after the BDR Darbar. When we heard shots being fired, we thought it was part of the BDR Darbar. Minutes later, like other family members of BDR officers, we were kept hostage at gun-point at the Quarter Guard. We were released on February 26.
Crying uncontrollably, Mahmuda, now a teacher at the Golden Eagle School, patronised by the Bangladesh Air Force, said As I was too shocked, I was not allowed to see the blood-drenched body of my husband for the last time. My two sons identified their father. I and my two sons, Pritom and Protik, had to undergo counselling as we became victims of severe trauma. Even after seven years, I sometimes feel that my husband is still alive, and that he will return to love me and hug me and my sons.
Sakib Mahmud Pritom, elder son of Major Salam Khan, has recently completed his degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST). He will be getting married next month.
He said: Although my father used to be busy with his work, he found time for most of the family programmes. He was like a protective umbrella over our heads, but now we are orphans. Because of his absence, we will not be able to joyfully organise the engagement ceremony.
According to Luna, Major Salam was in the first batch of para-commandos and was regarded as the pioneer of para-trooping in the Bangladesh Army. He led the para-commandos on national occasions like Independence Day and Victory Day. He was Deputy Commander of the Para-Commando Battalion and was an expert trainer in special warfare. He joined the Army in 1984 and worked in different units of the Army, including the Special Security Force. At a discussion at the National Press Club in the city yesterday, family members of the martyred officers demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident to identify the plotters of the mutiny.
Saquib Kamal, son of slain Colonel Kudrat-e-Ilahi, raised the demand. It was supported by others.
He said as the trial of those involved in the killings was on, they would not comment on the trial. But they want a judicial inquiry to identify the plotters.
Addressing the gathering, Transparency Internationals Bangladesh chapter chairperson, Sultana Kamal, demanded a fresh investigation into the mutiny to identify the plotters. Since it is a criminal case, an investigation can be conducted anytime. From the beginning, demands have been made to identify the plotters of the mutiny. It will be unfortunate if the plotters remain untraced or unidentified for lack of investigation, she added.
