Speakers denounce propaganda over Pilkhana mutiny

Speakers on Sunday strongly condemned false propaganda spread by ‘anti-liberation’ agents regarding the Pilkhana massacre and urged all to learn the true motives of the miscreants responsible.

They gave their thoughts at a press conference titled ‘Publicity and Propaganda of Pilkhana Killings’ arranged by Bangladesh Online Activists’ Forum (BOAF) before Monday’s 10th anniversary of Pilkhana massacre held at Jatiya Press Club.

The conference brought together security analysts, former army personnel, cultural and media personas who exchanged their views and reviewed the propagation of misinformation which accused the newly elected government then.

Security analyst major general (retd) AK Mohammed Ali Sikder claimed that for causing political unrest to gain power a certain group planned the massacre and later accused the government.

“All the evidences we could gather back then implied just the opposite,” he added.

Retired major general Abdur Rashid resonated with him and said the killings of country’s top army personnel were carried out according to a master plan for toppling the government.

“Our leader prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s quick decisions and tactful negotiations with the rebel BDR members settled the unrest without any further bloodshed,” he added.

He also pointed out why carrying out a military raid in a residential area like Dhanmandi, where Pilkhana is located, could have led to a more violent situation.

Secretary of cultural affairs ministry Nasir Uddin Ahmed mentioned that the trials of the BDR members responsible was swift and in public court to maintain transparency which earned Bangladesh praises in delivering justice.

Former president of National Press Club and MP of Chandpur-4 constituency Muhammad Shafiqur Rahman urged relevant authorities to put an end to the spreading of such malicious claims.

All the speakers agreed upon the fact that though the killings were pre-planned by the ‘anti-liberal force’ to cause an upsurge in the army, their plan failed and such propagations linking government with the killings are just extensions of their evil plan.
Seventy-four people, including 57 army officials, were killed in the BDR mutiny on 25-26 February in 2009 at the Pilkhana headquarters in Dhaka.

The paramilitary force was later disbanded before being reconstituted as the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB).