New Delhi: Stunned by the rebellion by scores of BDR men over a month back, Bangladesh Government has launched an exercise to isolate the "evil" personnel as part of reform and restructuring of the border paramilitary force.
The new BDR chief Maj Gen Mainul Islam said the rebellion was aimed at destabilising the Sheikh Hasina government and create "chaos" in the country at a time when the newly-elected government had just taken over.
Islam, who was made the Bangladesh Rifles Director General after the incumbent Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed was killed in the February 25 mutiny, hinted at involvement of outsiders but refused to elaborate arguing that probe is underway.
Along with Ahmed, 72 army officers, on deputation in BDR, were killed during the two-day siege by scores of paramilitary personnel of the BDR headquarters at Pilkhana.
"Half of the reasons, like salary hike, are ploys, excuses and not real reasons... The intention (of the mutiny) was to destabilise Bangladesh," Islam said.
"We were taking a step forward, entering democracy but many people were there probably who don't like it. So they chose such a timing. They wanted the country to be in chaos with BDR killing military (army) men and military (army) men taking revenge," said Islam, who himself is from the army. The Bangladesh Rifles chief said army conducted itself in a mature manner and under the "prudent leadership" of the Prime Minister, and "things were managed very well".
Asked to comment on reports that a foreign hand could have been behind the mutiny, Islam refused to answer, saying the CID is investigating the matter.
He, however, added that "we need to find out who has done it" and in this regard referred to Hasina's statement that the nation will come to know.
Asked about the corrective steps envisaged after the mutiny, Islam said, "We have to isolate evil from the good (in Bangladesh Rifles)."
Noting that the government has decided to reform BDR, he said changing the composition of forces, including proportion of army in the force, training and proper recruitment are some of the steps being implemented.
"We can't live with this organisation... It (BDR) will not be the same organisation. New force will be developed," he said, adding it will be "beginning of another chapter in history".
The paramilitary force, which has got a taint because of the mutiny, will have not only a change of uniform but "We need to retrain, refocus them and reorient them, bring them to reality of life... There are a lot of options," the BDR chief said.
The new BDR chief Maj Gen Mainul Islam said the rebellion was aimed at destabilising the Sheikh Hasina government and create "chaos" in the country at a time when the newly-elected government had just taken over.
Islam, who was made the Bangladesh Rifles Director General after the incumbent Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed was killed in the February 25 mutiny, hinted at involvement of outsiders but refused to elaborate arguing that probe is underway.
Along with Ahmed, 72 army officers, on deputation in BDR, were killed during the two-day siege by scores of paramilitary personnel of the BDR headquarters at Pilkhana.
"Half of the reasons, like salary hike, are ploys, excuses and not real reasons... The intention (of the mutiny) was to destabilise Bangladesh," Islam said.
"We were taking a step forward, entering democracy but many people were there probably who don't like it. So they chose such a timing. They wanted the country to be in chaos with BDR killing military (army) men and military (army) men taking revenge," said Islam, who himself is from the army. The Bangladesh Rifles chief said army conducted itself in a mature manner and under the "prudent leadership" of the Prime Minister, and "things were managed very well".
Asked to comment on reports that a foreign hand could have been behind the mutiny, Islam refused to answer, saying the CID is investigating the matter.
He, however, added that "we need to find out who has done it" and in this regard referred to Hasina's statement that the nation will come to know.
Asked about the corrective steps envisaged after the mutiny, Islam said, "We have to isolate evil from the good (in Bangladesh Rifles)."
Noting that the government has decided to reform BDR, he said changing the composition of forces, including proportion of army in the force, training and proper recruitment are some of the steps being implemented.
"We can't live with this organisation... It (BDR) will not be the same organisation. New force will be developed," he said, adding it will be "beginning of another chapter in history".
The paramilitary force, which has got a taint because of the mutiny, will have not only a change of uniform but "We need to retrain, refocus them and reorient them, bring them to reality of life... There are a lot of options," the BDR chief said.
© 2009 The Indian Express Limited
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