Fouty-four Soldiers from BGB Sentenced to Jail For Their Alleged Involvement in Rajshahi Revolt in 2009

Rajshahi, Bangladesh - The Special Court-17 headed by Col Nazrul Islam Sarker, Kustia BDR sector commander, sentenced 44 soldiers of 37 Rifles Battalion of Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) on Thursday on account of their involvement in 2009 revolt in Rajshahi. The sentenced duration of jail is varied from four months to seven years according to intensity of their involvement; the court also fined each of the convicts Tk 100.

Nayeb Subedar Nazrul Islam filed the case against the 44 mutineers with the special court on November 11 last year. The court on January 2 framed charges against the accused for their involvement in the defiance at the battalion on February 26, 2009 that killed 74 people, including 57 army officials. 

In the case statement, he alleged that the accused revolted against their officers at the battalion on February 26 in 2009. They looted firearms and ammunition from armoury and fired blank shots, he said, adding that the accused desecrated portrait of Shakil Ahmed, the then director general of BDR (now BGB).