Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that 57 army officers were killed in the BDR carnage in 2009 in an attempt to break the morale of the Bangladesh Army.
He made the comments on Wednesday, after paying tribute to the fallen soldiers at the Banani Military Graveyard in the capital, marking National Martyred Army Day.
Mirza Fakhrul said that on this day in 2009, a total of 57 capable army officers, along with around 72 officers and employees, were killed during the BDR mutiny. He described the day as a shameful chapter in the nation’s history.
He said a deep conspiracy had been carried out that day to dismantle Bangladesh’s entire security system, and that the killing of 57 army officers was aimed at weakening the morale of the Bangladesh Army. However, he added, the people of the country have stood up again to protect independence, sovereignty and democracy.
He further said that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has received a major opportunity to consolidate independence and sovereignty and to establish democracy by assuming responsibility for running the state through elections. Turning Bangladesh into a democratic state, as in the past, remains the party’s main objective, he said.
At the same time, he stressed that ensuring an impartial investigation into the brutal killings and bringing those responsible to justice is also a duty.
Later, he paid deep respect to the martyrs and expressed sympathy to their bereaved families.
