BDR members who were granted bail in explosives cases walked out of prison on Thursday after nearly 16 years.
A total of 168 personnel of now-defunct BDR were released from Dhaka Central Jail and Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur on Thursday.
Of these, 41 were released from Dhaka Central Jail, 26 from Kashimpur-1, 89 from Kashimpur-2, and 12 from Kashimpur High Security Jail.
Additional Inspector General of Prisons, Colonel Mohammad Mustafa Kamal told the media that they have received the list of 168 people. The BDR members are being released after this.
Earlier, on January 21, Md Ibrahim Miah, Judge of the Special Tribunal-II released the names of 178 accused who were granted bail. The prison authorities have received the list of 168 of them.
On February 25 and 26, 2009, 74 people, including 57 military officers, were killed in a massacre at the in then Pilkhana, Dhaka. Two cases were filed under the Murder and Explosives Acts in that incident. The trial of 850 people in the murder case ended on November 5, 2013. In it, 152 people were hanged, 160 were sentenced to life imprisonment, and 256 were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. 278 people were acquitted.
On November 27, 2017, the death reference and appeal verdict in that case was also passed in the High Court. In it, the death sentence of 139 accused was upheld. 185 people were sentenced to life imprisonment. Another 228 people were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. 283 people were acquitted.
A total of 54 accused, including 15, died before the High Court verdict. 226 accused have filed appeals and leave to appeal against the High Court verdict in the murder case.
On the other hand, the state has filed leave to appeal against the verdict of acquitting 83 accused and reducing their sentences in the High Court. These appeals and leave to appeal are now awaiting hearing. In 2010, the trial of 834 accused in the Explosives Act case began.
After the interim government took office, there has been a demand to reopen the investigation into the BDR mutiny. On December 19, members of the martyr's family went to the International Crimes Tribunal with the complaint.
On December 24, the government formed a commission headed by ALM Fazlur Rahman to reinvestigate the killings and set a 90-day deadline.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
