The BDR soldiers were present at Darbar Hall in the morning and said that a group of men in BDR uniforms wearing red, orange and violet masks forced them to take up arms from the armoury. A BDR soldier from Battalion-44 said that they were scared when they heard that two BDR Jawans had already been killed for refusing to comply. Many said the masked Jawans were directly involved in the killings. Many also claimed that the general BDR soldiers knew nothing about any pre-planned conspiracy to carry out the massacre.
Describing the first moments of the mutiny, a Jawan said, “We general solders were waiting for the programme at Darbar Hall to begin. Suddenly we heard gunshots at around quarter past nine. Along with others, we ran away from the Darbar Hall and returned to our battalions.” “Within a few minutes, a group of masked Jawans came over and instructed us over mikes to collect arms from the armoury, saying that otherwise we would lose our lives,” he said.
It was difficult to know who was who as thousands of BDR personnel from 46 battalions of 12 sectors were inside Pilkhana to mark BDR week at the time, he said. The men said that many of them felt helpless when they realised what was going on and they had no option but to flee the compound. They wore plainclothes to avoid being caught, they claimed.
Those who had fled in plainclothes and abandoned their uniforms are now worried about the consequence of their actions. They were also worried about their future. Some Jawans said that right from the minute the mutiny started the Jawans have been under pressure -- first they were forced to take up arms, then they faced possible arrest or shootings as they fled for their lives and now -- as they followed the government order to report back -- they had no clue what would happen to them.
“I have been living in this uncertainty since February 25 though I did not take part in the mutiny. My entire family is worried about my future,” a Jawan from battalion-2 said. Around five thousand BDR personnel in uniform and plainclothes have reported back to duty following the government order, sources said.
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/n ... ?nid=78324
The Sh. Hasina govt is slowly on a collision course with the army
Govt to probe anomalies in 100-day job programme
Staff Correspondent
The government has ordered to carry out investigation into allegations of irregularities and anomalies in 100-day employment generation scheme implemented during the army-backed caretaker government involving Tk 1200 crore. Food and Disaster Management Minister Abdur Razzak disclosed it in parliament yesterday while replying to a query of Awami League (AL) lawmaker Major General (retd) Abdus Salam.
The minister said the government decided to investigate the irregularities if any in implementing the scheme. The caretaker government allocated Tk 1200 crore in first phase under the project, he mentioned. “Reports on alleged irregularities in implementing the programme were published in different newspapers and the order has already been given to investigate them,” Razzak said. He said action will be taken if any specific allegation is proved.
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/n ... ?nid=78322