Infighting putting country at risk: Bangladesh Army chief warns parties

Bangladesh army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman on Tuesday warned politicians against fighting among themselves, saying this infighting poses a great risk to the country’s sovereignty.

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“I am warning you. You cannot later say that I did not warn you,” he said at an event held in remembrance of the army officers who died in the brutal killings at Pilkhana in 2009.

Govt adviser resigns, to launch outfit

Dhaka: Bangladesh interim government’s information adviser and one of the key leaders of the students’ movement, Nahid Islam, on Tuesday resigned from the cabinet, ahead of the launch of a new political party by the July uprising activists. “Given the current situation in the country, the rise of a new political force is necessary. I have resigned from the advisory council to remain on the streets to consolidate the mass uprising,” Islam said after submitting his resignation letter to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. One of the key coordinators of the July uprising that toppled the Awami League regime, Nahid said his role on the street appeared more important than staying in government.

On February 25 and 26, 2009, several army officers, including the then-director general of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed, were murdered in a mutiny at the headquarters of the paramilitary force (now Border Guard Bangladesh-BGB) in Pilkhana, Dhaka. In total, 74 bodies were recovered from the incident.

General Zaman said Bangladesh was going through a chaotic situation, and criminals were taking advantage of it.

“There are a few reasons behind the deteriorating law and order situation. The first reason is that we are busy fighting. We are busy enraging each other,” he said.

He said instead of causing chaos, at the end of the day, Bangladeshis have to remain united by looking after the country and the nation.