Fifteen years have passed since the horrifying Pilkhana carnage that shocked the nation. Yet, justice still seems elusive for many involved.
The prolonged legal proceedings in the lower court over an explosives case raise questions about the efficiency of the judicial system.
A total of 74 people, including 57 army officers were killed 15 years ago, on this day.
At that time, two cases were filed in connection with the mutiny and brutal killings - one for the murders and the other an explosives case.
Following the verdict of the murder case in the lower court, the Appellate Division is now handling the hearing of the death references.
However, the trial of the explosives case still remains incomplete.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted charge sheets in the murder case on July 12, 2010, and in the explosives case on July 27, 2010.
On August 10, 2011, the trial of the murder case started by framing charges but the trial of the Explosives Act case was stayed.
The verdict in the murder case was announced on November 5, 2013, after 232 working days in four years and eight months. A lower court in Dhaka sentenced 152 people to death
Later, on November 27, 2017, the High Court upheld the death sentences of 139 people. The death sentences of eight were commuted to life imprisonment and four were acquitted.
The lower court also upheld the sentences of 146 of the 160 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment. The case is currently being heard in the Appellate Division.
On the other hand, testimony in the explosives case is still going on in the lower court.
In the last 15 years, 273 witnesses out of 1,164, have testified in this case.
It is anticipated that the proceedings will conclude after the testimonies of approximately 100 more individuals, said Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajol.
He explained that there was a delay of two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but testimony is currently underway.
However, defence lawyer Faruk Ahmed said: "The trial of the case under the Explosives Act has not been completed for 15 years. After getting the verdict in the murder case, the state did not give importance to the case.” he said,
He added that the 278 individuals acquitted in the murder case are also implicated in the explosives case. Despite being cleared of charges in the murder case, they remain detained without release or bail due to their involvement in the explosives case.
Bangladesh pays tribute
On Sunday, Bangladesh is observing the 15th martyrdom anniversary of the 2009 Pilkhana carnage.
Marking the day, tributes were paid to the victims by placing wreaths on their graves at Banani Military Graveyard at 9:08am.
The Military Secretary to the President, Major General SM Salahuddin Islam, and Military Secretary to the Prime Minister, Major General Kabir Ahmed paid their respects to the martyrs.
Later, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal also paid tribute to the martyrs at the graveyard.
Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, and the Chief of Air Staff of Bangladesh Air Force Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan paid their respects to the victims of the attack.
The Director-General of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Major General Mohammad Ashrafulzzaman Siddique paid his tribute.
On February 25, 2009, several hundred Bangladesh Rifles or BDR (now Border Guard Bangladesh) men staged an armed revolt at the Darbar Hall of the force's Pilkhana Headquarters in Dhaka. They killed 74 people, including 57 army officers.
The mutiny ended the following day with the surrender of firearms, ammunition, and grenades through a negotiation between the government and the BDR rebels.
