Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman yesterday urged all not to disrupt the trial process of 2009 Pilkhana massacre case, saying that it was entirely carried out by members of the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR).
“It is crucial to remember that this barbaric act was not committed by any army personnel. It was entirely carried out by members of the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR). Full stop... there is no ‘if’ or ‘but’ here,” said the army chief at the inaugural National Martyrs Army Day event at Raowa Club in the capital, reported UNB.
“If you bring in ‘ifs’ and ‘buts,’ the judicial process that has been going on for 16 to 17 years, the justice served to those convicted, will be disrupted. We must be absolutely clear about this. Those who have been punished deserved it,” he added.
Regarding the potential involvement of political leaders or external forces in the incident, the army chief said that a commission was formed to investigate the matter.
“The commission chairman is present here. He will uncover the facts and inform you accordingly,” he said.
“The bottom line is that our valiant army personnel lost their lives to bullets fired by the then BDR members. Some of us are trying to create a controversy and divert this issue in different directions, but that will not be beneficial for us,” he added.
He highlighted that the current deterioration in law and order is largely due to widespread political bickering, with people "busy with vilifying each other."
He pointed out that the police force has been unable to perform effectively, citing that many officers are either facing legal charges or are imprisoned, resulting in widespread panic within the force.
He urged the nation to cease internal conflicts, warning that continued infighting could jeopardize the country's independence.
Furthermore, he issued a strong warning regarding the BDR rebellion, emphasizing that no leniency would be shown to those involved.
"The process of justice for the BDR rebellion cannot be sabotaged," he said, confirming that an independent commission is actively investigating and working to identify those truly responsible for the 2009 incident.
The army chief also discussed the timeline for the upcoming elections, saying: "I have said earlier that elections should be held within 18 months... the government is perhaps moving in that direction."