BDR Carnage Mystery Must Be Unveiled: Prof Yunus

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday stressed the need to uncover the truth behind the 2009 BDR carnage, saying the mystery must be revealed to ensure justice and national healing.

"We are all seeking answers. This commission must succeed in its investigation. The mystery must be unveiled," he told members of the National Independent Investigation Commission during a meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna.

The commission briefed the Chief Adviser on the progress of the probe into the brutal killings at the BDR Headquarters in Pilkhana, where 74 people, including 57 army officers, were massacred.

"The interim government will extend full cooperation to the commission," Prof Yunus assured, noting that the massacre was carried out in a calculated manner. "They brutally killed their own officers—this did not happen by accident."

The Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary, Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, said the nation is closely watching the commission’s work and expects the mystery to be solved.

Commission Chairman Major General (Retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman said the investigation is progressing swiftly, with a target to submit the final report by June. However, challenges remain in reaching individuals linked to the case, especially those living abroad.

“Many accused are currently overseas. We are coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to gather information. So far, eight of 23 persons abroad have contacted us for interviews,” Rahman said.

He added that several individuals currently in jail have already been interviewed and confirmed that the killings followed a clear pattern. “This was a planned carnage. It could not have happened without a blueprint. After the DG was killed, the rest were executed in sequence.”

Calling it a tragedy reminiscent of the Battle of Plassey, Rahman said the commission’s duty is to uncover the roots of the plot.

Another member, Major General (Retd) Jahangir Kabir Talukder, said, “Not a single officer was removed in the wake of this heinous act. No one has been held accountable. It was a failure of intelligence, military command, and political oversight.”

Other members present were Brig Gen Md Saidur Rahman, Munshi Alauddin Al Azad, Dr M Akbar Ali, Md Shariful Islam, Shahnewaz Khan Chandan, and ATKM Iqbal.

The government formed the seven-member commission on December 24, 2024, to re-investigate the BDR massacre, assigning it a 90-working-day deadline to complete the task.