The Ministry of Home Affairs informed the High Court that the government has decided to refrain from forming a commission to investigate the BDR carnage for now, as two related cases are currently under appeal in the Appellate Division.
Deputy Attorney General Tanim Khan conveyed this information today (15 December) to the High Court bench led by Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury.
The issue is of national importance and the government is considering it with utmost seriousness. However, no decision can be made at this stage as the cases are sub judice, reads a memorandum signed by Md Mofizul Islam, assistant secretary of the Public Security Division under the Ministry of Home Affairs
In October, Supreme Court lawyers Tanvir Ahmed and Biplab Kumar Poddar filed a writ petition seeking a directive to form a national independent committee to investigate the 2009 “massacre” at the then-BDR headquarters on 25-26 February.
Subsequently, on 3 November, the petitioners submitted a plea to the home secretary (Public Security Division), requesting the formation of a national independent investigation committee or commission to uncover the truth and to declare 25 February as “Martyrs’ Day for Soldiers.”
After a preliminary hearing on the writ, the High Court issued a rule and order on 5 November, directing the home secretary to dispose of the application within 10 days and submit a report to the court.
On 2 December, the matter was placed on the court’s cause list.
The state informed the High Court that the process of forming an independent national committee had begun and requested a two-week extension, following which the court set 15 December for further proceedings.
Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs had hinted at forming a commission to investigate the entire BDR carnage incident.
However, it presented a different stance in court today, citing the ongoing appeals in the Appellate Division.
Notably, movements demanding a reinvestigation into the BDR killings intensified after the political shift on 5 August.
