国际英语新闻：Bangladeshi gov't poised to go tough against mutineers

DHAKA, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government, after ending Wednesday's bloody revolt by border guards through negotiations, seemed to go tough against the mutineers involved in the killing, which left at least 81 people dead.

After the mutiny ended Thursday evening with the surrender of the soldiers, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Friday afternoon that those who committed the killings during the mutiny would not be under the declared general amnesty.

Army soldiers sit on an armoured personnel carrier inside the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) headquarters in Dhaka February 28, 2009. Bangladesh's powerful army has reaffirmed its support for the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after a mutiny by paramilitary troops killed at least 80 people, mostly army officers

    "They will be tried according to law and will be punished," Hasina's press secretary Abul Kalam Azad quoted the prime minister as saying.

    Earlier on Wednesday, Hasina announced general amnesty to the mutineers during a negotiation meeting with mutinous representatives at her official residence in Dhaka in response to their demand.

An Armored Personal Carrier of Bangladesh Army enters into the paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) headquarters in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, Feb. 27, 2009

Thousands of the paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) soldiers staged a revolt against their commanding officers deputed from the army, over pay and better facilities on Wednesday morning at the BDR headquarters in west of Dhaka. The soldiers also complained they were repressed by their army officers for a long time.

    Rounds of hectic negotiations between the government and the mutineers were held on Wednesday and Thursday to avoid violence.

    During the negotiations, the prime minister, Home Minister Sahara Khatun as well as other government officials showed much patience in efforts to resolve the issue through negotiations, local reports said.

    In an address to the nation on Thursday, Hasina expressed her hope for a peaceful end and also said the government has already formed a high-powered committee to address the demands of the BDR soldiers.

    The home minister has also assured the mutineers of no involvement of army troops considering their safety.

    However, the prime minister warned at the same time that her government will be bound to take stern action considering the interest of the country if the rebellious soldiers don't surrender and go back to their barracks.

    The bloody revolt finally came to an end on Thursday evening as the mutinous soldiers all surrendered their arms at the appeal of the prime minister.

    Local reports said some 160 army officers as well as their relatives were either killed or held as hostages by the soldiers during the mutiny. The death toll stood at 81 till Saturday noon while scores of army officers are still missing.

 

Rescuers carry the body discovered in a mass grave in the paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Headquarters in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, on Feb. 28, 2009

As the bloody revolt has drawn widespread condemnation from both domestic and international community, the government has taken serial measures to deal with the post-mutiny situation.

    A ten-member high-powered committee headed by the home minister has been formed to investigate into the massacre of army officers and innocent civilians by disgruntled BDR soldiers.

    The committee, which started its work on Saturday, was asked to get to the bottom of the mutiny and is supposed to give a report within one week.

    In further steps following the mutiny, Principal Staff Officer of Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General Abdul Mobin told at a press conference early Saturday that the government will form a special tribunal for quick trial of the rebellious BDR soldiers and provide them exemplary punishment.

    Mobin said those who staged the revolt and killed the army officers will not be spared. "The nation will not forgive these barbaric acts faced by BDR members," he said.

    Meanwhile, different social and political organizations as well as some eminent personalities called for proper investigation into the incident and punishment to the masterminds and those who were directly involved in the killing, according to local reports.

    Leader of the opposition in the parliament, Khaleda Zia, also Chairperson of former ruling party the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) demanded tough actions Friday and trial of the killers through proper investigation of each killing and torture.

    Transparency International Bangladesh Chairman Muzaffer Ahmad told the state-run news agency BSS that the whole incident, including the role of intelligence, will have to be investigated, and the grievances of the soldiers addressed properly. But he also said the prime minister's pledges to the BDR soldiers should be met properly.