Dhaka: Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed today informed Parliament that individuals convicted in the 2009 BDR mutiny must undergo the full extent of their sentences as determined by judicial and administrative processes. Those who have already completed their jail terms will be released unless they face charges in other cases.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Salahuddin clarified in response to a query by opposition lawmaker M Fazle Huda of Naogaon-3 that the cases linked to the BDR mutiny have been resolved through the appropriate judicial channels. He noted that any outstanding cases against the convicts would be addressed through thorough investigations and the legal system.
The home minister assured that police have been instructed to avoid harassment based solely on political identity or past convictions. He stressed that any allegations of illegal or politically motivated harassment, fake cases, or unjust situations would be scrutinized meticulously, with responsible parties facing appropriate legal consequences.
Records indicate that 17,306 BDR personnel were prosecuted under the BDR law for their involvement in the mutiny, though not in the massacre of officers. Of these, 823 BDR soldiers and 23 civilians were tried in sessions courts. Sentences included the death penalty for 150 paramilitary soldiers and two civilians, life imprisonment for 160 individuals, and various terms for the remaining 566.
The minister also reported to the House that appeals in murder cases involving 850 dismissed members are pending before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. Additionally, trial proceedings for 834 accused in explosives cases are ongoing in the lower courts.