Tk 50,000 bounty on each fugitive BDR man

Around 950 jawans still absconding

The government has announced Tk 50,000 bounty for handing over to the authorities each fugitive Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) member suspected of involvement in the February 25-26 mutiny and carnage at the BDR headquarters in the capital.

According to a press release of the home ministry yesterday, Tk 50,000 would be awarded to a person who would hand over to a nearby police station or a law enforcement agency an absconding BDR member suspected to have been involved in the massacre

Identity of the person would be kept secret, it said.

Meanwhile, the BDR authorities are yet to prepare a complete list of the fugitive BDR personnel.

Asked about the bounty, BDR Director General Maj Gen Md Mainul Islam however said, "I do not yet know about the announcement of bounty regarding absconding BDR personnel."

In reply to a question, he said a complete list of the fugitives is still to be prepared.

But Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sources said around 950 BDR members are still absconding.

Earlier, Commerce Minister Faruk Khan said the government would publish a book containing photographs and other information on the fugitive BDR men, and copies of the book would be given to all district and upazila authorities, police stations, and law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

The BDR mutiny left 74 people, including 57 army officers deputed to the border force, massacred.

The CID is investigating the carnage case while a government-formed committee is probing the incident. Besides, the army is conducting an enquiry.

Meanwhile, two more BDR members yesterday confessed their involvement in the mutiny, and were sent to jail while two civilians arrested earlier were placed on a four-day remand.

The case was shifted to New Market Police Station from Lalbagh police yesterday as the place of occurrence (PO) is in New Market area.

A total of 25 BDR jawans so far confessed their involvement in the mutiny.

CID sources said the two civilians-- shoe trader Delwar Hossain and cosmetic trader Mohammad Sumon-- were arrested under Section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code for allegedly making provocative statements on February 25-26.

So far, 165 BDR personnel and civilians have been placed on remand and 920 BDR jawans shown arrested in the case.