Even though 14 years have passed since the Pilkhana tragedy, the trial process has not ended

Even though 14 years have passed since the Pilkhana tragedy, the trial process has not ended. Although the trial of the murder case is for hearing in the Appellate Division, the explosive case is still at the stage of taking testimony in the judicial court.

On February 25 and 26, 2009, rebel jawans of BDR carried out a hellish rampage in Pilkhana. A total of 74 people including 57 army officers lost their lives in their hands. After the BDR rebellion, a court of inquiry was formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and another by the Army. The reports of the two committees recommended that the incident should be tried under the Army Act, but after the opinion of the High Court, the government decided to try it under the existing law.

The sound of gunshots came from inside the pillory

• Wednesday, February 25, 2009. 9 am 27 minutes. The sound of gunshots came from inside the pillory. Many thought it was a regular exercise. But within a couple of hours the mutiny was known.
  On that day, the annual Durbar was held at the BDR headquarters. A group of mutinous BDR soldiers entered the Durbar Hall, pounced on the officers with firearms.
  Divided into different groups and spread throughout the Pilkhana. The riot started. Incidents like torture, hostage taking, looting and arson of army officers and their families. 74 people including 57 army officers were killed.
  On hearing the news, soldiers from Savar and Dhaka cantonments went armed and headed towards Pilkhana with heavy weapons. By 11 o'clock they took a peaceful stand at Dhanmondi and Neelkhet intersection. At around 1:30, the then Chairman of Jubo League Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Whip Mirza Azam went in front of Gate No. 4 of Pilkhana with a white flag on behalf of the Prime Minister.
  In the afternoon, the rebel members led by DAD Touhid went to the Prime Minister's office to present their demands. The meeting is underway. Some BDR members surrendered their arms to the Home Minister at night. Several army officers and their families were freed from hostage status.
  On the evening of February 27, the police entered the Pilkhana after the rebel soldiers surrendered their weapons on the call of the Prime Minister on February 26. The dead bodies of captured army officers and others were recovered. A bloody chapter ends the breathtaking three days.

The High Court sentenced 139 people to death, 185 to life and 200 to various terms of imprisonment in the case filed in this much-discussed incident. This is the biggest case in the history of the country. After a long trial and verdict, the High Court released the full verdict of the Pilkhana murder case on January 8, 2020.

However, the murder case has not been settled even today as the hearing of the appeal filed by the state and the defendants against the verdict has not started.