According to a DW report, these paramilitary personnel were imprisoned for their alleged involvement in the violent mutiny of 2009. Following the mutiny’s suppression, thousands were arrested, and over 150 individuals were initially sentenced to death. Human rights organizations raised questions about the legal process and criticized the alleged flaws in the trials.
On Thursday, January 23, those released on bail had already been acquitted of murder charges. Despite this, their cases remained pending for over a decade, disregarding human rights. Their release comes just months after the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year government. As news of their release spread, family members gathered outside the prisons.
One of the released men, 38-year-old Abdul Qasim, expressed his emotions, saying, “I cannot put into words how I feel about returning to my family.”
A 40-year-old woman, Sheuly Akhtar, the wife of one of the released men, said, “This feels like a dream. If Sheikh Hasina were still in power, my husband would never have been freed. There was no justice under her rule. What happened to us was unfair. My husband knew nothing about the mutiny or the killings. When he was arrested, he had just joined the BDR.”
The mutiny, which lasted two days in 2009, was rooted in years of discontent among ordinary soldiers over their salaries and treatment. These appeals had long been ignored. Investigations into the mutiny were conducted under Sheikh Hasina’s administration.
Opponents of Sheikh Hasina claim she orchestrated the mutiny as part of a plan to weaken the military and consolidate her power.
Since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, families of soldiers killed during the mutiny have campaigned for the reopening of investigations. Last month, the new interim government began addressing these demands.
