The national probe committee did not find any militant, political or foreign links to the BDR carnage at Pilkhana headquarters."BDR jawans committed the murders on their own initiative. Our investigation did not find any involvement of outsiders--political leaders, militants or foreign forces," a member of the probe body told The Daily Star yesterday evening, requesting not to be named. According to the probe report submitted to Home Minister Sahara Khatun yesterday, there had already been long pent-up grievances among the BDR rank and file. Their anger over 'Dal Bhat Programme' made things worse, and it all boiled over into an orgy of killing, looting and burning on February 25-26.The report also says the mutiny was continuation of the revolts that took place in 1973 and 1991 over leadership in the border forces, added the member of the probe body. Some sources close to the committee said several jawans had claimed the mutiny was part of their “movement against discriminations by the army officers” deputed to BDR. They would call it “a mission to oust the foreign birds from BDR”. The disgruntled BDR jawans had planned to hold the army officials hostage to press home their demands. Killings were not part of their plans. Still, they took place as some of the jawans went beyond the control of the leaders, the sources continued.Earlier at around 4:00pm, the 12-member government inquiry committee headed by former secretary Anisuzzaman Khan turned in the 309-page report at the home minister's office in the secretariat."We have prepared the report on the basis of facts and realities. There is nothing speculative," Anisuzzaman told reporters afterwards.Replying to queries what was the main reason behind the bloodbath, he just said, “Mutiny.” Declining to elaborate, he said they were assigned to probe the incident and now it is the government's duty to comment on the findings.Sahara Khatun said the government would soon publish the report."We are committed to making the findings public," she said seeking the media's help to ensure punishment to the culprits.She said those responsible for the vicious killings would face stern action.Pressed further to talk about the report, she said, “We have yet to read the report. We will however let you know the findings soon." Sahara said she hopes the report would come in handy for the agency tasked with investigating the case in connection with the carnage that left 74 people including 57 army officers dead.She said the government would do everything necessary to ensure the culprits stand trial.State Minister for Home Tanjim Ahmad Sohel Taj, Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, and some members of the probe committee were present when the ex-secretary turned in the report.The committee was first formed on February 26 to be headed by the home minister. But in response to criticism over the minister's inclusion, it was reconstituted on March 2 with the retired civil servant at the helm.Its 11 other members include former and serving bureaucrats and high-ranking officers from the armed forces.The committee began its work the day after its reconstitution. It had four extensions before its time limit for submitting the report expired on May 11. Originally, the deadline was to end on March 9. It was first extended by seven workdays.Then on March 23, the committee got another four days. And finally on March 30, it was granted 30 more workdays in the interests of a proper investigation. In its report, it recommends that the mutineers be tried under the military act for speedy trial. It also suggested that BDR jawans should not be engaged in programmes like 'Operation Dal Bhat. It suggests further inquiry into the claims of foreign links.Besides making the recommendations, the committee outlined probable reasons for the mutiny and steps to prevent repeat in future.Earlier, Commerce Minister Faruk Khan had said the banned Islamist outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) had a hand in the Pilkhana massacre.DAD TOWHID REMANDEDMeanwhile, a Dhaka court yesterday placed Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Syed Towhidul Alam on a seven-day fresh remand in an arms case filed with Sabujbagh Police Station in April.The case was filed after a revolver and some ammunition were recovered from BDR jawan Raju who told the law enforcers that DAD Towhid had given him the arms and ammo.Earlier, Towhid was remanded for 15 days at different times in the mutiny case. As per the law, an accused cannot be taken on remand for over 15 days in a single case.In another development, three BDR jawans yesterday made statements confessing their role in the carnage.A correspondent from Jessore adds: The Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court here yesterday sent 43 BDR men to jail. The border guards were arrested on May 15 at Jhumjhumpur BDR camp and 22 rifles battalion headquarters on sedition charges.
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