 |
| Unrelated file Photo of BDR |
Army units moves in as Bangladesh Rifles HQ erupts in rebellion - Negotiation with rebels soldiers
"BREAKING NEWS "
Wednesday February 25 2009 15:45:07 PM BDT
Dhaka, Feb 25 - Large number y army troops were deployed on the streets after gunshots erupted in and around Bangladesh Rifles Headquarters Wednesday morning. So far 9 people were reportedly injured and one person confirmed killed .At least four army officers have been killed and dozens have been held hostage, claimed one of the protesting soldiers.
"The rebellious soldiers have laid siege to a group of officers within the BDR HQ premises," said home ministry public relations officer
The director general of the Bangladesh Rifles, Maj. Shakil Ahmed, was conducting a roll call in the early morning inside the force's headquarters conference centre ( known as Darbar Hall ) when the gunfire began, the ministry said.
Unconfirmed report suggest that he is taken hostage by the rebel soldiers and is confined in a undisclosed location within the Base area
Several officers were trapped inside and their mobile phones were turned off, Haider said. "So it's making it very difficult for us to get information on exactly what is going on right now."
Few of the rebel soldiers in a telephone interview given to Sat TV station ATN Bangla has demanded that they be allowed directly to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Home minister to place their pending demands .
Rebel soldiers told local TV ATN Bangla over telephone that they want the government announce general amnesty for the rebel soldiers as precondition of any talks.He said that they demand immediate withdrawal of the army troops from the BDR Headquarter area otherwise the Parliament Bhaban and the Bangladesh Secretariat and residents nearby the headquarters will be destroyed.
Referring to their long deprivation, they told the viewers of the television that the BDR is not independent in the independent country.
One of their key demand as disclosed in the Telephone interview with ATN TV is that they do not want to be directly under the Command of the Army , rather stay as a independent paramilitary force under home ministry
The rebels also warned the army not to storm the base area , as they will retaliate against the army troops and surrounding Government buildings & entities
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina summoned all her seniors ministers in a Emergency Cabinet meeting . She has dispatched LGRD deputy minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Chief whip of the house Mirza Azam to negotiate with the rebel soldiers
LGRD deputy minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Chief whip of the house Mirza Azam at this time are announcing their presence in the Base area by Bullhorn and requesting the rebels to talk to them about their demand , while gunfire still can be heard in the background.
BDR personnel carrying heavy arms were seen taking position at the main entrance to the Bangladesh Rifles Headquarters
At least 200 panicked students of the nearby South Breeze junior high School were trapped inside the school due to cross fire
Sources say a number of top officers were injured inside the compound, . Unconfirmed report also say that the director general of BDR Maj General was possibly killed in the uprising
Traffic movement remained suspended on the roads around the BDR compound since troops took position.
An Inter Services Public Relations press release issued after the incident asked the BDR personnel to surrender their arms immediately and return to barracks.
The prime minister will speak to the BDR personnel and hear their complaints and grievances, it said.
If anyone is found taking the law in their hands violating the order, stringent punitive measures will be taken against them, the ISPR release warned.
The entire Base parameter is now surrounded by defence force personal , combat helicopters hovering over the base . The area is off limits to civilian population for now .
Defence personnel are offering to talk with the rebel soldiers over loudspeaker while the rebel soldiers are firing randomly from inside the BDR headquarters.
------------------------
Previous report
Dhaka Feb25-- Panic spread across the residential area around Bangladesh Rifles Head quarter at Philkhana Dhaka this morning.One civilian was critically injured in the cross fire . Nearby area is cordoned off by the BDR guards ,no thoroughfare traffic is allowed.
Witness reports that heavy gunfire including that of machine and mortars shells could be heard from around the area . Unconfirmed report cited some sort of rebellion within due to discontent with pay scale and other benefits.
Heavy security presence is alos reported in the vicinity .
"The rebellious soldiers have laid siege to a group of officers within the BDR HQ premises," said home ministry public relations officer
The director general of the Bangladesh Rifles, Maj. Shakil Ahmed, was conducting a roll call in the early morning inside the force's headquarters conference centre ( known as Darbar Hall ) when the gunfire began, the ministry said.
Unconfirmed report suggest that he is taken hostage by the rebel soldiers and is confined in a undisclosed location within the Base area
Several officers were trapped inside and their mobile phones were turned off, Haider said. "So it's making it very difficult for us to get information on exactly what is going on right now."
Few of the rebel soldiers in a telephone interview given to Sat TV station ATN Bangla has demanded that they be allowed directly to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Home minister to place their pending demands .
Rebel soldiers told local TV ATN Bangla over telephone that they want the government announce general amnesty for the rebel soldiers as precondition of any talks.He said that they demand immediate withdrawal of the army troops from the BDR Headquarter area otherwise the Parliament Bhaban and the Bangladesh Secretariat and residents nearby the headquarters will be destroyed.
Referring to their long deprivation, they told the viewers of the television that the BDR is not independent in the independent country.
One of their key demand as disclosed in the Telephone interview with ATN TV is that they do not want to be directly under the Command of the Army , rather stay as a independent paramilitary force under home ministry
The rebels also warned the army not to storm the base area , as they will retaliate against the army troops and surrounding Government buildings & entities
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina summoned all her seniors ministers in a Emergency Cabinet meeting . She has dispatched LGRD deputy minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Chief whip of the house Mirza Azam to negotiate with the rebel soldiers
LGRD deputy minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Chief whip of the house Mirza Azam at this time are announcing their presence in the Base area by Bullhorn and requesting the rebels to talk to them about their demand , while gunfire still can be heard in the background.
BDR personnel carrying heavy arms were seen taking position at the main entrance to the Bangladesh Rifles Headquarters
At least 200 panicked students of the nearby South Breeze junior high School were trapped inside the school due to cross fire
Sources say a number of top officers were injured inside the compound, . Unconfirmed report also say that the director general of BDR Maj General was possibly killed in the uprising
Traffic movement remained suspended on the roads around the BDR compound since troops took position.
An Inter Services Public Relations press release issued after the incident asked the BDR personnel to surrender their arms immediately and return to barracks.
The prime minister will speak to the BDR personnel and hear their complaints and grievances, it said.
If anyone is found taking the law in their hands violating the order, stringent punitive measures will be taken against them, the ISPR release warned.
The entire Base parameter is now surrounded by defence force personal , combat helicopters hovering over the base . The area is off limits to civilian population for now .
Defence personnel are offering to talk with the rebel soldiers over loudspeaker while the rebel soldiers are firing randomly from inside the BDR headquarters.
------------------------
Previous report
Dhaka Feb25-- Panic spread across the residential area around Bangladesh Rifles Head quarter at Philkhana Dhaka this morning.One civilian was critically injured in the cross fire . Nearby area is cordoned off by the BDR guards ,no thoroughfare traffic is allowed.
Witness reports that heavy gunfire including that of machine and mortars shells could be heard from around the area . Unconfirmed report cited some sort of rebellion within due to discontent with pay scale and other benefits.
Heavy security presence is alos reported in the vicinity .
No comments:
Post a Comment