By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman Monday sought opinion of the Supreme court on whether the border guards who mutinied in February be tried under the civil code or the military law.
Rahman made a reference to the apex court on an advice received from the government that wants to determine whether it can apply the Army Act, 1952, Star Online reported.
The trial process was halted when human rights organisations at home and those abroad like the US-based Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch objected to the military law being applied to the mutineering Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troopers, who are otherwise governed by the civil code.
A total of 73 people, including 57 army officers on deputation to the BDR, were killed in the Feb 25-26 mutiny. The troopers had mutinied over low wages and poor working conditions.
Law Minister Shafique Ahmed earlier said since the BDR Act and conventional laws have some inadequacies in trying the perpetrators of a savagery like the massacre at the BDR headquarters, the government decided to seek the Supreme Court’s opinion on the matter.
The Army Act has no such shortcomings but the government will follow the Supreme Court’s guidelines to avoid any argument, he added.
The government move came even as the BDR Monday held its first Durbar (conference) at the very place the mutineers gunned down officers, including then BDR director general Major General Shakil Ahmed.
His successor and the current chief, Major General Moinul Islam, alleged that “enemies of the country” had benefited from the mutiny.
He hinted at the role of an “international conspiracy” behind the massacree – a charge the government has been making without much elaboration.
Two official inquiries have kept away from commenting upon this.
“Bangladesh is not enemy-free in the international arena. The country has its foes. And the enemies gained the benefit from the two-day carnage,” the general said while addressing the Durbar at the Pilkhana headquarters in the outskirts of the national capital.
The BDR revolt has been viewed as a security lapse by analysts. For two days, posts along a 4,700-km border, including 4,300 km with India, were left unguarded, forcing the neighbours to seal them from their side.
The rebellion was one of the first major challenges faced by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina within weeks of sweeping the polls and taking office in January.