Former Army Chief Moeen U Ahmed has finally broken his silence on the tragic BDR mutiny of 2009, where 74 people, including 57 army officers, were brutally killed.

In a video released on his personal YouTube channel on Thursday, Moeen U Ahmed shared that when he attempted to launch an investigation into the incident, he was instructed that it wasn't necessary as the government was already conducting its own.

He expressed his disappointment that the government failed to provide the necessary support for a thorough investigation.

The former Army Chief revealed that the army's investigation committee, led by the current Home Advisor, faced obstacles due to the unavailability of key witnesses, many of whom were incarcerated.

He hoped that the Home Advisor, in his new role, would be able to re-establish the committee and identify those responsible for the mutiny.

Additionally, Moeen U Ahmed shared a specific recollection from the morning of the incident, mentioning a discussion about unused mortars and the possibility of transferring them to the BDR.

Unaware of impending mutiny

The former Army Chief recalled agreeing to transfer the mortars to the BDR after their Director General expressed interest, believing he was unaware of the impending mutiny.

Later, during a meeting, he was informed of the disturbance at Pilkhana. He attempted to contact the former Prime Minister but was unsuccessful.

Military intelligence updates underscored the gravity of the situation, prompting him to order another brigade to prepare for immediate action, launching 'Operation Restore Order.'

He recounted reaching the BDR's DG at 9:47 AM, who described a chaotic scene at the Darbar: two armed soldiers entered, one positioned behind him, followed by gunfire from outside, causing soldiers in the hall to scatter.

This suggested a premeditated plan. He responded by dispatching sector and battalion commanders to restore order, keeping him informed about the operation.

Moeen U Ahmed stated that he managed to reach the former Prime Minister by phone at 9:54 AM. By that time, the Prime Minister had already gathered substantial information about the BDR mutiny.

When Moeen U Ahmed briefed him on the operation, the Prime Minister inquired about the time needed to prepare the brigade.

After providing an estimate and seeking permission for the brigade to proceed to Pilkhana, the Prime Minister approved it. Despite the tight time frame, the 46 Brigade set out within an hour.

He said that during this time, the rebels positioned rocket launchers, mortars, and other weapons in front of the BDR gates to fend off attacks.

Army movement and negotiations

Around 11 AM, when the first vehicle of the 46 Brigade neared the main gate, the rebels fired a rocket at a pickup truck, killing the driver instantly.

He added that several officers, including the DG, DDG, Colonel Anis, and Colonel Kaiser, were shot and killed between 10:30 and 11 AM, according to Lieutenant Colonel Shams. Their team reached the scene after 11 AM.

He also expressed disapproval of the live media coverage during the incident, suggesting that it had a detrimental impact by contributing to the spread of the BDR mutiny.

The former army chief mentioned that Captain Shafique, leading 355 RAB members, reached Pilkhana before 10 AM but was denied entry despite requesting permission from his superiors.

He suggested that granting permission could have led to better management of the situation and potentially reduced the damage.

He added that at 11:45 AM, the PSO AFD informed him of the government's attempt to resolve the issue politically.

The rebels demanded the army's withdrawal before negotiations. They warned of a military operation if no agreement was reached.

At noon, he received a call to urgently meet with the former Prime Minister at Jamuna. Around 1 PM, former Defense Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Whip Mirza Azam went to Pilkhana for negotiations.

He said that the Air Force and Navy chiefs arrived at Jamuna about an hour after he did, suggesting they were instructed to come only after his arrival.

Upon reaching, they were informed that former Defense Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Whip Mirza Azam were coming to Jamuna with a group of rebels seeking general amnesty.

The former Prime Minister stated that any demands from the rebels should be communicated.

He then instructed them to convey the following to the rebels: first, the killing of officers must cease immediately; second, all detainees must be released without delay; third, the rebels must surrender their weapons; and fourth, granting general amnesty was not possible.

In the video, Moeen U Ahmed urges for a comprehensive investigation into the incident. He also noted that his book about the BDR mutiny will be released soon.

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