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Police take control of BDR installations
 The police yesterday took control of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) sector and battalion headquarters across the country while BDR jawans deserted several border outposts leaving those vulnerable. BDR jawans at various sector and battalion headquarters laid down their arms and handed over the keys to the armouries to the deputy commissioners concerned at the instruction of the home ministry. However, a home ministry source said BDR jawans are patrolling the borders with India and Myanmar with light firearms. The police will remain in control of the headquarters until further notice, several district administrators told The Daily Star. Subedar Maj Siddique and Subedar Shamsul Haque of Rajshahi sector headquarters, now under control of police, handed over their arms and keys to the armoury to the district official. A number of BDR jawans looked distressed and scared while surrendering their arms. Our Khulna correspondent reports: Khulna Metropolitan Police took control of the BDR sector headquarters after discussions with BDR members there. Two platoons of police had been deployed there. The BDR barracks in Khulna earlier witnessed a revolt following the Wednesday's mutiny in the capital. The situation at BDR camps in Thakurgaon and Panchagarh remained calm after the mutineers surrendered their arms. BDR patrol along the borders with India also resumed, said 25 Rifles Battalion head Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) Nazmul Huda and 20 Rifles Battalion head DAD Nurul Islam Fakir. In Kurigram, BDR Jawans of 27 Rifles Battalion released Maj Kamal, Maj Altaf and Commanding Officer Suman Kumar Barua and surrendered their arms to Kurigram DC Asaduzzaman. The police took control of the battalion headquarters. Our Chittagong correspondent reports: BDR jawans as well as departmental officers of BDR Chittagong Sector Headquarters began surrendering weapons and ammunition, said Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Ashraf Shamim in the evening. Our correspondent in Dinajpur adds: the police took control of the BDR sector headquarters at Kuthibari in the afternoon. Our Rajshahi correspondent reports: The bordering areas remained vulnerable as distraught BDR members were reluctant to return to duty amid confusion. A BOP commander told The Daily Star, "The smugglers will not be able to cash in on the prevailing situation as the Indian Border Security Force remains on red alert on the other side of the border." Our correspondent from Benapole adds: Although BDR jawans patrolled the border with India at Benapole, the situation remained tense. The jawans were without a commanding officer as no army officer deputed to BDR went to the Benapole border camps or barracks. Hundreds of passengers and goods-laden trucks remained stranded on the Benapole-Petrapole border after Indian Border Security Force (BSF) closed their side of the border. Posted by: Fred 2009-02-28 |
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