Dhaka: The government has formed a National Independent Investigation Commission to identify those involved in the BDR mutiny that took place in Peelkhana on February 25 and 26, 2009, and to find out the real facts. Major General (Retd.) ALM Fazlur Rahman has been appointed as the president and six others as members.
A notification in this regard signed by Cabinet Secretary Dr. Sheikh Abdur Rashid was issued on Tuesday (December 24) night by the order of the President.
The notification said that the High Court Division of the Supreme Court has directed to form a National Independent Investigation Committee in the wake of a writ petition regarding the barbaric massacre that took place in the name of BDR mutiny at the then BDR headquarters, Peelkhana on February 25 and 26, 2009. Therefore, the government has formed a National Independent Investigation Commission to uncover the domestic and foreign conspiracies and the true nature of the massacre in the name of the BDR mutiny in Peelkhana, identify the conspirators of the incident, accomplices of the incident, destroyers of evidence of the incident, perpetrators of the incident, and other matters and criminals related to the incident, other than the accused in the two cases registered in the incident.
The committee has Major General (Retd.) ALM Fazlur Rahman as the chairman and six members: Major General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Kabir Talukder, Brigadier General (Retd.) Md. Saidur Rahman (Bir Protik), retired Joint Secretary Munshi Alauddin Al Azad, retired DIG Dr. M. Akbar Ali, Associate Professor of the Department of Political Science, Dhaka University, Md. Shariful Islam, and Assistant Professor of the Institute of Education and Research, Jagannath University, Md. Shahnewaz Khan Chandan.
The terms of reference of the National Independent Investigation Commission shall be as follows:
(a) To reveal the nature of the incident that took place on 25 and 26 February 2009 at the then BDR Headquarters, Peelkhana;
(b) To identify the perpetrators, abettors, conspirators, destroyers of evidence of the incident, instigators and other matters related to the incident, including the domestic and foreign criminal individuals/groups/institutions/departments/organizations, etc.;
(c) To reveal the nature of other crimes committed during the incident and before/after the murder, to identify the responsible individuals/groups/institutions/departments/organizations, and to determine the involvement of other domestic and foreign individuals/groups/institutions/departments/organizations who diverted the incident or helped in causing the incident and to identify the culprits;
(d) Identifying the individuals/groups/institutions/departments/organizations responsible for the failure to take action to prevent other crimes including murder; and
(e) Including the actual criminals who have not been included in the relevant cases, while keeping the liability/crime of the accused in the relevant cases intact, in the investigation process.
The notification further states that the Commission of Inquiry may visit any place in Bangladesh and summon and interrogate any suspected person. The Commission may, if necessary, include any suitable person as a member of the Commission.
The head and members of the Commission shall receive the official rank, salary/honor and facilities determined by the Government; Provided that if the head or any member of the Commission wishes to perform his duties on an unpaid basis or does not wish to accept the facilities, it may obtain the approval of the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government.
The notification states that this notification will come into effect immediately.
Earlier, on Monday, Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury told reporters that the government has formed an independent investigation commission into the BDR mutiny. Seven people have been appointed there.