By IANS,
Dhaka : Four battalions of Bangladesh rifles (BDR), whose troopers mutinied in February, will be disbanded, a media report has said.
Troopers of Battalions 13, 24, 36 and 44 were “directly involved” in the killing spree Feb 25-26, when 74 people, including 57 officers of the Bangladesh Army on deputation to the BDR, were gunned down.
The disbanding is part of the revamp of the force that is being undertaken since the mutiny that posed the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government within six weeks of its taking office in January.
The government has approved a proposal from the border guards for disbanding four of its battalions for direct involvement in the BDR mutiny.
“We have approved the BDR proposal for disbanding the four battalions,” said Home Affairs Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder.
He told The Daily Star newspaper that most members of the four battalions were involved in the mutiny.
“We have received government permission and will disband the four battalions at the end of the process of trying the mutineers,” said BDR Director General Maj Gen Mainul Islam.
He said a few members of the four battalions would be attached to other battalions.
Gen Islam, however, said those who are in the four battalions will not lose their jobs after the disbanding.
An unspecified number of troopers are in jail, while some are said to be absconding. Some of them under interrogation have reportedly died.
BDR, which can trace its history to the Bengal Regiment raised by the British two centuries ago, has an estimated 45,000 troopers. It is responsible for guarding a 4,300 km border with India and 300 km long border with Myanmar.