Mutineers shot at us: Nanak

Junior LGRD Minister tells court during testimony in the Peelkhana carnage case

Dhaka, Sep 10 (bdnews24.com)—State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanak on Monday said the BDR mutineers shot at him and one of his Cabinet colleagues when they had gone to the Peelkhana headquarters of the border guards during the bloody mutiny for negotiations.

Nanak, also the Joint Secretary of the ruling Awami League, said this while deposing before the Special Court set up at Bakshi Bazar to try the BDR mutineers and persons involved in the Peelkhana carnage of Feb 25-26, 2009.

Following orders from the Prime Minister, Nanak said he along with Treasury Bench whip Mirza Azam had gone to the BDR headquarters and was horrified to see tell-tale signs of the carnage.

Nanak said defying the firing and swearing of the unruly BDR soldiers, he and Azam proceeded towards the main gate of Peelkhana with a white flag and repeatedly requested them to stop firing and sit for negotiations. "They fired at us, but we survived."

After his deposition, the defence lawyers cross-examined him.

Judge of the court Md Zahurul Haque fixed Sep 12 for the next hearing.

A total of 73 people including 57 army officers deputed to then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) were killed during the carnage.

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