Despite various efforts, the law enforcement agencies and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) still remain clueless about the whereabouts of the 20 fugitive rebels, who were tried in absentia in the BDR carnage case.
Eighteen of them have been convicted in the carnage case, according to the verdict. Following the verdict, the police and the BGB are now pondering to make further moves to catch them.
After completion of the trial, which began in August 2011, the Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court delivered verdict on Wednesday.
Judge Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman pronounced names of at least 14 fugitives – who were awarded death sentences, while four other fugitives were handed 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment.
Although the fates of the two remaining fugitives were not clear during the pronouncement of verdict on Wednesday, Director General of the BGB Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed on Thursday confirmed that the court had acquitted those two fugitives from their charges.
Seeking anonymity, several police and BGB officials who had knowledge about the search for the fugitive BDR mutineers, said they did not have any specific information regarding the whereabouts of the fugitives.
One of the sources said it would be difficult to obtain information if the fugitives had left the country.
However, BGB DG Maj Gen Aziz last night said over phone that he knew about one of the fugitives who had joined the former BDR from an indigenous community in Chittagong Hill Tracts, who later joined the UPDF after the mutiny.
Authorities would catch him after being sure of his specific location, the BGB boss said.
Sepoy Paltan Chakma is one of the fugitives who was given the death sentence.
The 13 other fugitives who were handed the death sentence are: Sepoy Md Moinuddin, Sepoy Hasibul Hasan, Sepoy Md Rezaul Karim, Sepoy Md Mizanur Rahman, Sepoy Md Mukul Alam, Sepoy Md Qamrul Hasan, Sepoy Md Baki Billah, Sepoy Md Mesbah Uddin, Sepoy Md Selim, Sepoy Md Nurul Alam, Lance Nayek Md Hamidul Islam, Sepoy Md Anisur Rahman and Sepoy Md Maqbul Hossain.
Of them, fugitive Sepoy Moinudin of 13 Rifle Battalion of BDR along with few other colleagues entered the Darbar Hall with arms to kill the then BDR director general Shakil Ahmed at 9:25am of February 25, 2009, according to the mutiny case records.
As per the records, the then deputy DG Brig Gen Bari and some other officers were able to disarm Sepoy Moinuddin, but a voice rising from the troops screamed “Jago” (wake up).
Many other BDR armed rebels soon took control of Darbar Hall and its surrounding areas, looting arms from the border guard’s arsenal.
Maj Gen Shakil was killed later in the morning of the first day of mutiny on February 25. Some rebel sepoys later broke into the slain DG’s residence in Pilkhana, where they killed the DG’s wife and committed offenses like torture, ransacking, looting and arson.
Seventeen civilians including the DG’s wife were killed during the 33-hour bloody mutiny in Pilkhana. The mutineers killed 57 top and mid-ranking army officers including DG Shakil.
Judge Akhtaruzzaman awarded death sentence to 151 former BDR personnel and one civilian – for killing a total of 74 people during the mutiny.
The four fugitives who received 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment are: Sepoy Md Al Mamun, Sepoy Md Atiqur Rahman, Sepoy Md Sadullah and Sepoy Md Qamrul Islam.
The court acquitted fugitives Sepoy Abdullah al Manum and Md Ayub Ali, said BGB DG Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed, adding that after getting copy of full judgement they would consult with prosecution lawyers whether there was any scope to appeal against the acquittals of rebels.
After the mutiny, the names and pictures of 23 fugitive rebels were distributed to the police and local administrations across the country. Three of those fugitives were later arrested.
The authorities had also declared a bounty for the fugitives’ whereabouts.
“We will remind all authorities concerned next week about arresting the fugitives,” the BGB chief told the Dhaka Tribune on Thursday.
“We will approach to launch necessary steps again,” he said.
Inspector General of Police Hassan Mahmood Khandker said: “Of course we give special importance in arresting the wanted accused.”
About arresting the convicted fugitive BDR rebels, the IGP said: “The matter is being considered with special importance.”
