Bangladesh jails guards over mutiny

Fifty-seven army commanders were among those killed in the mutiny that began at the guards’ headquarters in the capital, Dhaka, and spread to border camps across the country.

It occurred just two months after the country’s powerful military relinquished power to a civilian government under Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister.

Military anger

The military was furious with how Hasina handled the mutiny, which ended through negotiations, including offers of amnesty. ]

But when dozens of bodies – including those of dozens of commanding officers – were discovered dumped into shallow graves or sewers on the sprawling compound, the government rescinded the amnesty offer for those who led the mutiny.

Sunday’s sentences were the third set related to the mutiny. Earlier this month 79 border guards were sentenced separately to jail terms ranging from four months to seven years in northern Bangladesh.

The government has so far arrested 2,136 members of the force in connection with the mutiny, and has set up six special courts headed by Islam to hear the cases.

The Bangladesh Rifles has also been disbanded following the mutiny.