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A group of former Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) members have staged protests blocking the Shahbagh intersection, demanding the restoration of their jobs and compensation for their losses.
Traffic came to a halt at the Shahbagh intersection when the protesters gathered there around 1pm on Monday, reports bdnews24.com.
Later, police dispersed the protesters and they moved near the National Museum, continuing the protest, said Shahbagh Police Station chief Md Khalid Mansur.
The OC said, “They blocked the road for half an hour. Then we persuaded them to clear the road. Around an hour ago, they left the street and gathered near the National Museum.”
The police officer said traffic returned to normal after the protesters left the road.
After the mass uprising, ex-BDR members who were “subjected to conspiracy”, dismissed and victimised in 2009, were released from jail. They and their families held a sit-in programme to demand justice, the restoration of their dues, and steps taken to ensure their welfare.
A delegation led by the “BDR Welfare Council” went to the Secretariat to meet the home advisor. They said they would announce their next course of action following the meeting with the home advisor and staged the protest programme the next day at Shahbagh.
On Apr 7, police used tear gas, water cannons, and sound grenades to disperse a group of former BDR members marching towards the Secretariat. The day before, they staged protests in front of the BGB Headquarters.
On Feb 25 and 26, 2009, 74 people, including 57 army officers, were killed in a mutiny of the border force, then known as BDR, headquarters in Dhaka’s Peelkhana. The incident drew headlines around the world.
After the mutiny, the BDR was rechristened, and its uniform changed. The force is now known as the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
Following the changeover of power, the interim government took over, and the demand for a re-investigation of the Peelkhana massacre gained momentum. The government formed a commission headed by ALM Fazlur Rahman on Dec 24, to reinvestigate the massacre.
During the tenure of the current government, ex-BDR members who were imprisoned at several points have been released on bail. In the meantime, those who were dismissed from service at that time and their families are continuing their protests.