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MASSACRE AT PEELKHANA
Probe bodies must go to the
mystery's bottom
Sadeq Khan
The trauma of Peelkhana massacre as felt in the army cantonments throughout the country initially found no empathy whatsoever in the Bangladesh media, which was carried away by stories of so-called injustice allegedly suffered by the mutineers at the hands of their army superiors. At around 10 a.m. on the 25th of February, practically right at the very outset of the mutiny, a few deserting BDR jawans reported to thanas' nearby to surrender to authorities as per rules, but were strangely refused to be accepted by duty-officers of those thanas...[ FULL STORY ]
GOVT CANCELS VICTORY DAY PARADE
Aftermath of Peelkhana killings
puzzles govt
Special Correspondent
Considering the law and order situation evolving in the aftermath of killings at BDR headquarters, the government has cancelled its scheduled victory day parade program on March 26. The decision was taken on Thursday at a meeting of the cabinet committee on law and order with the home minister Sahara Khatun in the chair.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a city Awami League leader Torab Ali in connection with the mutiny at BDR heaquarters. Torab is the president of Ward-48 unit of city Awami League and also President of Bangladesh Rifles Welfare Association for retired BDR members.
Torab's son Liton, locally known as Leather Liton, is alleged to be a high-profile criminal having links with arms smugglers. He is charged with the murder of film actor Sohel Chowdhury. Torab's son in law Rezaul Karim Razu is a contractor at the BDR headquarters. Torab is also running a sawmill at BDR gate no 5 where the BDR members used to meet regularly. BDR gate no 5 and the nearby localities of Hazaribagh were used as escape routes by the BDR mutineers...[ FULL STORY ]
MYSTERIOUS DEATHS ARE NO COINCIDENCE
BDR rebellion, probe and helicopter crash
M. Shahidul Islam
The sovereignty of the nation is sinking like a busted ship and foreign powers are trying desperately to Afghanise our beloved motherland since the carnage inside the BDR headquarters.
Who is to blame? Of course the Government for much of what has been happening with the fate of the nation of late.
Not only that the Prime Minister (PM) herself had invited foreign spies to investigate an incident deep inside the heart of our national security establishments, she had also opened up a Pandora's Box on March 7 by saying, "Conspirators are trying to trigger a civil war in the country."
Mysterious deaths
Sources tend to suggest that some recent deaths of armed forces officers should not be taken as mere coincidence.
For example, last week, an army Captain is reported to have 'committed suicide' in Dhaka while on leave, although, according to his family sources, he was compelled to embrace such a fate following his sharp criticism of the PM for mishandling the BDR mutiny...[ FULL STORY ]
Govt. will try BDR mutiny case under military act
Special Correspondent
The Government has finally decided to try the case of BDR mutineers and gruesome killing of army officers under the Bangladesh Military Act 1952.
The act, amended in l952 following the Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case in which Major General Akbar Khan of Pakistan Army was involved in a mutiny, has provided the scope for trying the BDR personnel under this act, said the sources.
The Act (Act No. XXXIX of 1952) says, the Government may, by notification, apply all or any provisions of this act into force raised and maintained in Bangladesh under the authority or the Government...[ FULL STORY ]
PEELKHANA CARNAGE
Blame game is no answer to
transparent probe
Amanullah Kabir
The blame game is a common practice of our feuding political leaders who are apt to shift their responsibility on to the shoulder of their opponents particularly when an issue involving national interests trigger controversy. They have seldom shown the moral courage to accept the responsibility for a loathsome incident that incurs the public wrath or criticism, and face the situation with the honest desire to resolve it quickly without any fuss. There is no exception this time, too, when a bewildered nation confronting a two days long killing spree on February 25 - 26 at the BDR headquarters.
As if the carnage was not enough, the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her speech on historic 7 March unfolded a conspiracy theory that by politically dealing with the Peelkhana mutiny she had saved the country from a possible civil war. She did not elaborate and explained who were the suspected elements that were to push the nation to the brink of a civil war...[ FULL STORY ]
MASSACRE OF ARMY OFFICERS
NRBs in NY demand all-party probe
Fazle Rashid in New York
The grief-stricken non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) in New York are becoming increasingly suspicious about Government's honesty and sincerity in tracking down the culprits of the Peelkhana killings and awarding them exemplary punishment.
The Government, they feel, is forming one committee after another just to camouflage the entire dark episode. Sahara Commiitte had come and gone. Anisuzzaman Commiitte has failed to produce the finding within the given timeframe.
The sudden emergence of State Minister for Home Affairs in the scene in Dhaka after a long absence has also become a talking point in New York amongst the Bangladeshi expatriates. From where did Sohel Taj appear after the grisly Peelkana tragedy? Sohel Taj was in the US during all this period...[ FULL STORY ]
GLIMPSES OF THE GREAT
Abraham Lincoln
K. Z. Islam
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) comes high on the list of enduring popular heroes. Being the 16th President of the US (March 4, 1861-April 15, 1865) he is considered to be one of the greatest Presidents of the United States. He was a great inspiration to Barak Obama who swore allegiance in the swearing in ceremony as the 44th President of the US touching the same bible that was used by Abraham Lincoln...[ FULL STORY ]
Politicians divided Freedom Fighters
Abdur Rahman Khan
Apel Mahmood, a freedom fighter and inspiring singer of the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, hates to identify himself as a freedom fighter. It is not because of any fear but out of hatred against the politicians who had divided the glorious sons of the soil into partisan groups to derive political benefit.
The legendary singer of the song "Ekti Phulkey Bachabo Bole Juddha Kori" Apel Mahmood is now living a retired life keeping him engaged in music, as a lyricist, singer and music director. He is also writing scripts for awareness building programmes...[ FULL STORY ]
$50,000 BILLION HAVE VANISHED IN 8 MONTHS
AIG bailout sum equals Marshal Plan fund
Fazle Rashid in New York
Now in deep distress, American Insurance Group (AIG) is the biggest insurance company in the world. The severity of wound could be as deep as that of Citigroup, one of the biggest banks. Citigroup's share has dropped to mere 96 cent per piece from $56 a year ago.
Citigroup's major shareholder is Saudi prince Khalid bin Walid and bank's CEO is Vikram Pandit. AIG is in desperate need of cash infusion. It has asked the US government for the fourth time for more cash infusion. If granted, its total could be $150 billion equivalent to the total outlay of the Marshal Plan that was used for the reforms and rebuilding of the war ravaged Europe and US after the World War II. Enraged Republican lawmakers are urging the White House to allow the ailing financial institutions to die a natural death rather than wasting taxpayers' money...[ FULL STORY ]
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