Reformed, disciplined BDR in a year: DG

March 3, 2010

Director General of Bangladesh Rifles Maj Gen Mainul Islam on Wednesday hoped that the force would emerge as a disciplined force through necessary reforms within a year.

“We have to take oath anew that will be — Amra notun, amra ek, amra bolian (we are new, we are united, we are powerful),” he said this while addressing his Darbar at Pilkhana headquarters in the capital.

BDR regained people’s confidence in the last one year since the mutiny, which is the main achievement of the force, he mentioned.

All civil and military officers of the BDR, including JCOs and NCOs, were present at the special Darbar that started at about 11:00am at a multipurpose shed, which is used for practicing indoor games.

The Darbar was not held at BDR Darbar Hall as a special court has been set up there for holding mutiny trial.

The DG recalled the incident taking place at Darbar Hall on February 25 last year.

“That day the soldiers left the hall with slogan — ‘jago’ ‘jago’,” the BDR chief said adding that if the soldiers would not leave the hall, it was not possible for any power to commit such heinous killings.

He said, “The heinous killings and mutiny have belittled us before the nation.”

“We are observing the curtailed BDR week this year showing respect to the army officers killed during the Pilkhana mutiny and hatred towards those who committed the crime.”

He also expressed gratitude to the role of the prime minister in tackling the mutiny and violence in a democratic way.

Though many people think that BDR is weak on the borders, the force is not weak at all now, he said.

At present, BSF has more border outposts than the BDR, said the DG adding that Bangladesh would also increase the number of its outposts and reduce system loss.

The work is underway to set up 90 new outposts, he added.

BDR officers and personnel, who carried out their duties in 2009 exceptionally well, received awards on the occasion that ended at about 12:20pm.

Special dinner will be served and milad and doa Mahfil held at the BDR hostels at Pilkhana in the evening.

The BDR mutiny on February 25-26 last year erupted during a Darbar arranged for a similar occasion. The mutineers killed 74 people including 57 army officials and the mutiny spread to other BDR units in the country.

This is the second Darbar being held there after the mutiny. The first one was held on August 17 last year.

Reformed, disciplined BDR in a year: DG

Comments