Attorney general Md Asaduzzaman on Saturday claimed that the killings of 74 people including 57 army officers during the 2009 BDR mutiny were part of an international conspiracy aiming at prolonging the rule of the then Awami League government.
Addressing a debate competition on BDR mutiny organised by Debate for Democracy in the capital, he urged the recently formed inquiry commission to investigate the allegations that the members of the then ruling party, the Awami League, and its associate organisation, Juba League, had disguised themselves as the members of the erstwhile Bangladesh Rifles during the massacre.
The debate competition, held at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation in Dhaka, featured a contest between Tejgaon Government College and Bangladesh University.
Asaduzzaman referred to a YouTube channel, where a family member of an army officer claimed that she came to know the involvement of AL and Juba League leaders in the killings, and said, 鈥業 hope that the commission will thoroughly investigate these claims and bring the truth to light.鈥�
The attorney general further alleged that a foreign country had played a role in the events leading up to and following the mutiny.
He linked the mutiny to the abolition of the election-time caretaker government system through the 15th constitutional amendment in 2011, suggesting that the Pilkhana massacre paved the way for the ruling party to solidify its hold on power.
Asaduzzaman said that while the BDR mutiny trial was at its final stage, the masterminds remained beyond the reach of justice.
Although ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina was not physically present during the massacre, Asaduzzaman questioned the chain of command at the time.
鈥榃ho benefited from the killings? Who stopped the then-army chief from launching an operation? Why were political leaders allowed to visit the BDR headquarters while the crisis unfolded?鈥� he asked.
Rejecting the notion that the incident was merely a mutiny, the attorney general called it a 鈥榩re-planned conspiracy鈥� aimed at undermining Bangladesh鈥檚 sovereignty, dismantling democratic institutions, and suppressing voting rights.
Presiding over a shadow parliament session, Debate for Democracy chairman Hasan Ahmed Kiron presented a ten-point demand aimed at ensuring a comprehensive investigation into the 2009 BDR mutiny.
Among the demands, he called for either summoning the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina back to Bangladesh or sending an investigation team to India to interrogate her regarding the incident.
Kiron also urged for identifying the individuals who chanted slogans inside the BDR headquarters, reportedly calling for unity among BDR personnel and demanding the withdrawal of army officers deputed to the force. He emphasised that uncovering the roles of Hasina鈥檚 associates was crucial for an effective probe.