Dhaka, Feb 27 (bdnews24.com) – The body of slain BDR chief Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed was found in a ditch, alongside dozens of slain officers, inside the headquarters compound, taking the official toll for the dead to 67 in the two-day mutiny.
The head of Fire Service, Brig Gen Abu Nayeem Md Shahidullah, identified the general's body.
"The body was stripped of uniform, but I could still recognise since I knew him so well personally," the fire chief told reporters late Friday afternoon.
The corpse was one of 44 slain army officers found since the operation to retrieve bodies began inside the compound Friday morning, Shahidullah said.
Among them was the body of former additional director general of RAB and BDR Sylhet sector commander Col Gulzar Uddin Ahmed.
Police also retrieved a body from near Gate No 1 in the morning, wearing a BDR uniform, but the identity could not be established immediately.
The wife of Gen Shakil, Nazneen Ahmed, believed to be among the dead, was yet to be traced, the fire chief said.
Nine bodies found late Thursday night
Nine bodies were recovered from the BDR compound half and hour past midnight Thursday.
The nine could not be identified immediately, assistant sub-inspector of Dhanmondi Police Station Saiful Islam told bdnews24.com.
Six of the bodies were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and then to Mitford Hospital for inquest, the ASI said.
Two bodies at DG's home
Retired lieutenant colonel Delwar Hossain and his wife Lovely Begum were apparently killed inside the director general's bungalow.
The couple were staying as guests of Maj Gen Shakil and his family when the mutiny began.
The two bodies were recovered after the rebels' surrender from the bungalow.
Six found early Thursday
Six bodies were recovered from Kamrangirchar near the Buriganga river early Thursday, police said.
Among these bodies was that of BDR second in command Brig Gen Abdul Bari.
"All six were found in BDR officer uniforms," Kamrangirchar officer-in-charge Mainuddin Khan told bdnews24.com.
The bodies, recovered between 6am and 8am, were laid out for inquest and identification at Nawabganj Park until around 10am before being taken to Mitford Hospital for autopsy, he said.
Brother-in-law Nero and ex-colleague Brig Gen (retd) Saber Ahmed identified the body of the BDR deputy director general, Brig Gen Bari.
Wife Nusrat Jahan and brother-in-law Zia identified the body Col Abu Musa Ayub Kaiser Ahmed.
Nephew Baktia Sumon identified Col Zahid Hossain.
Brother Mahbubul Haider identified the body of Captain Mazharul Haider, son-in-law of IGP Noor Mohammad.
Relative Dr Atiur Rahman identified the body Col Anisuzzaman, son of former cabinet secretary and former minister Mahbubuzzaman.
One of the bodies remained unidentified, said OC Khan.
"They were found this morning, in the same area as the two the day before," he said.
First two bodies
The bodies of two senior officers were the first to be recovered Wednesday.
They were apparently dumped in a drain behind the BDR compound and then floated up to Kamrangirchar, police said.
Col Mujibul Huq commanded the Dhaka Sector and headed the emergency government's Operation Daal-Bhat.
The body of Lt Col Enayet, commander of 36 Battalion, was found alongside Huq's.
Three bystanders
Three civilian bystanders also lost their lives on the first day of the mutiny as bullets were fired outside the main BDR gate on at least two separate occasions.
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