|
The Bangladesh Army said efforts by some officers
to topple the government have been foiled and
that the process to bring the culprits to justice
has begun. "Specific information has been
unearthed that some officers in active military
service have been involved in the conspiracy to
topple the system of democratic governance,"
bdnews24.com
quoted army spokesman Brigadier General Muhammad
Masud Razzaq as saying.
Razzaq branded the accused army officers as having
extreme religious views.
Bangladesh has witnessed coups since its liberation
in 1971.
Sheikh Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rehman,
was killed in a military putsch. A dozen officers
- serving, retired or dismissed - led the coup
in which Mujib and most of his family were killed
Aug 15, 1975.
On Nov 19, 2009, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh
upheld the death sentence of 12 self-confessed
assassins. Five of them, Syed Farooq Rahman, Sultan
Shahriar Rashid Khan, Bazlul Huda, A.K.M. Mohiuddin
Ahmed and Mohiuddin Ahmed, were hanged Jan 28,
2010.
Razzaq said: "Some unruly military officers
have been actively engaged in the execution of
the heinous conspiracy through maintaining contacts
with fugitive Maj. Zia (Syed Mohammad Ziaul Huq)
by mobile phones and internet."
"On Dec 22 last year, Maj. Zia met a senior
officer and tried to provoke that senior officer
into using the army against the state and democracy,"
Razzaq said.
"The senior officer immediately informed
the appropriate authorities and his (Maj. Zia's)
leave and transfer order was cancelled."
"But he did not return to work and has still
kept himself engaged in trying to organise subversive
activities against the army," he said.
On Dec 28, a court of inquiry was established.
"Stern legal measures will be taken against
those involved," Brig Razzaq said.
"Recently, at the instigation of some of
non-resident Bangladeshis, some serving as well
as retired officers with extreme religious views
have tried to create disorder in the army, riding
on the religious sentiments of other officers,"
he added.
A retired lieutenant-colonel was arrested after
he confided in an army major Dec 13 last year
about his intent to topple the government and
provoked him to join.
Tension had gripped Bangladesh in 2009 when a
mutiny broke out in the Bangladesh Rifles.
The bloody mutiny Feb 25-26, 2009, left 74 people
dead, including 57 army officers on deputation
with the paramilitary force.
On the first day of the two-day mutiny, BDR chief
Maj. Gen Shakil Ahmed was shot dead by mutineers.
(IANS)
|
