Dhaka: Former home minister Sahara Khatun said she was informed about BDR carnage on the following day of the massacre though several detective units were linked with her ministry.

She said this while talking to journalists after submitting deposition over the BDR carnage to court on Wednesday.

She submitted her deposition on Wednesday morning in the case over the Pilkhana rebellion and carnage that rocked the country on February 25-26 in 2009 at the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) headquarters. 

The deposition submission started at about 9:55am at the court that sat on the playground of Dhaka Alia Madrasa in Bakshibazar area for the mass trial.

Acting Metropolitan Judge Dr M Akhteruzzaman recorded the deposition as judge of the court.

Earlier in the day, the accused informed the court that as per court direction, the defendants’ lawyers collected written statements from accused regarding the case. But jail authorities tore apart the papers while the lawyers were returning from the prison.

Regarding the matter, the SPP said, “As per verbal order of the judge, he requested Jailer and Deputy Jailer to collect speeches of the accused.”

He alleged that jail authorities violated the court order for hindering the trial procedure.

Defense lawyer Sarder Shamim said, “A total of 630 accused out of 1,300 submitted their depositions in the case filed under criminal act.”

Abdul Kahar Akhand, senior special superintendent of CID, submitted the charge sheet of the killings case on July 12, 2010 and in the case under the Explosives Act on July 27.

The charge sheet was submitted against 850 accused in the killings case. Some 834 suspected BDR personnel were sued under the Explosives Act. Of them, 21 are on the run while three died.

Among those standing trial are Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) Rahim and Habilder Shafiqul Islam died in the time of investigation and accused Habilder Motiur Rahman died at Dhaka Central Jail during indictment hearing on May 15.

A total of 74 people, including 57 army officers in command of the border-security force, were killed in the bloody mutiny at Pilkhana on February 25-26, 2009. The mutiny had also triggered rebellion in other garrisons across the country.

Officer-in-charge of Lalbagh Police Station Nabajyoti Khisa filed the cases first with the police station and then with New Market Police Station.

Ends/AMA/03/04/13