BDR carnage probe report puts IGP’s fate in question
The National Independent Investigation Commission's report on the BDR (now BGB) carnage has named five police officers, including the current Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam, for failing to perform their duties. Following the report, discussions and criticism have erupted within the administration.
The report presents negative findings against the IGP, alleging that during his tenure in the Special Branch (SB) of the police, he actively supported the political agenda of the then Awami League government and took measures against opposition figures. Speculation is ongoing regarding his future, which could include an appointment as an ambassador abroad or the cancellation of his contract-based posting. Multiple sources suggest a final decision may come before the 13th national parliamentary elections.
On 25–26 February 2009, 74 people, including then Director General Major General Shakil Ahmed and 56 army officers, were killed during the BDR carnage. Courts later sentenced 139 individuals to death, 185 to life imprisonment, and 228 others to varying prison terms. Families of the victims have long raised questions about the investigation and judicial process.
After one and a half decades, and following the July uprising, the government formed a seven-member commission on 24 December last year. The commission submitted its report to Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, chief advisor of the interim government, on 30 November.
The report reveals alarming details, including strong evidence of external involvement in the BDR carnage and direct links to the then-ruling Awami League. It states that the killings were premeditated and coordinated primarily by former Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh.
Point 146 of the report names five police officials: former IGP Noor Mohammad, former DMP Commissioner Naim Ahmed, former Additional IGP and SB Chief Baharul Alam (now IGP), former (absconding) Additional IGP Monirul Islam, and Additional DIG Abdul Kahar Akand, along with his investigation team.
Baharul Alam, a 1984 batch BCS Police cadre officer, was posted to UN peacekeeping missions immediately after the killings, serving in various roles including Senior Police Adviser in Afghanistan and liaison officer at UN headquarters. He retired in 2020 and was reappointed as IGP on a contract basis by the interim government on 20 November 2024, following the fall of the Awami League government.
Commission Chief’s Statement
Retired Major General ALM Fazlur Rahman, head of the National Independent Investigation Commission, said the names of five police officers, including the current IGP Baharul Alam, appeared in the report due to failures in performing their duties.
IGP’s Response
Commenting on the report, IGP Baharul Alam told the media, “The commission has conducted the investigation. Now it is up to the government to decide. There is nothing for me to say.”
Home Adviser Vows Action on Commission Recommendations
Retired Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, current Home Affairs Adviser and former head of the post-BDR carnage investigation committee, said after a law-and-order core committee meeting on 2 December, “The recommendations of the commission will definitely be implemented. The Ministry of Home Affairs is taking this very seriously. We have not read all the volumes yet, but once we do, the recommendations will be acted upon.”
Families of the Martyrs Demand Justice, Call for Strict Action
At a press conference on 1 December in Mohakhali, Dr. Fablika Bushra, daughter of martyred Lt. Colonel Lutfor Rahman, said, “We will comment only after seeing the names of the accused in the report. We want good relations with neighbouring countries and safety for everyone.”
Rakin Ahmed Bhuiya, son of former BDR Director General Major General Shakil Ahmed, urged, “The government must take action against those named in the report. The betrayers must be tried, or another Pilkhana-style massacre could happen.”
Other members of the families of martyred soldiers have stated that the government must take a strict stance to ensure that no one involved in the BDR carnage at Pilkhana escapes justice. Citing concerns over security, the families have also demanded adequate protection measures.