I pray a tragedy like the Peelkhana massacre is never repeated, says PM Hasina

The prime minister said bearing the loss of loved ones was very tough and nobody knew it better than her

Sheikh Hasina hopes the Peelkhana massacre, which saw mutineers from the then Bangladesh Rifles kill many army personnel 15 years ago, is a tragedy that is never repeated.

The prime minister joined the celebrations on Border Guard Bangladesh Day and was given an official salute during her visit to the formal parade at the Bir Uttam Anwar Hossain Parade Ground at 9:30 am on Monday.

Later, Hasina awarded gallantry medals to 72 BGB members for their valiant contributions to the force.

“I pray for the salvation of the departed souls, including the director general of BGB [killed in the Peelkhana massacre], and offer my condolences to their families,” Hasina said.

“Bearing the loss of loved ones is very tough and nobody knows that better than I do. But those who committed the crime were brought to trial. I hope such an incident never recurs,” she said.

Hasina highlighted the BGB's duty of protecting the sovereign borders of Bangladesh, and preventing smuggling, and human trafficking at the borders.

“BGB is the vigilant guard of our motherland. They work for the national economy. While more than a million Rohingya people took shelter in Bangladesh, the BGB monitored and ensured law and order in those settlements alongside other law enforcing agencies like the army police and RAB.”

Bangladesh has provided shelter to the displaced Rohingya people on humanitarian grounds, Hasina said. But the government was continuing negotiations with Myanmar for the repatriation of the Rohingya.

“We never wanted to fight with our neighbours. So, we’re trying to resolve the issue through discussion.”

Hasina noted the BGB's contributions to maintaining law and order, including their response to the arson attacks conducted by opposition party activists.

“You have earned the public’s trust by playing a significant role in protecting people’s lives and belongings,” she told the BGB personnel.

Her government passed the Border Guard Bangladesh Act 2010 to strengthen the force further, Hasina said.

“The BGB is now developed as a modern multi-dimensional force and can perform their duties on land, air, and water.”

She also mentioned the government drafted Border Guard Bangladesh Vision 2041, envisioning a world-class modern border security force.

“Just as we aim for a smart Bangladesh by 2041, we want to transform the BGB into a smart force,” Hasina said.

She urged the BGB members to stay disciplined and follow the chain of command as those were the key driving forces for a law enforcement agency.