Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that the final trial of Pilkhana murder will be over soon. He said this in response to questions from reporters after laying wreaths at the graves of Pilkhana martyrs at the Banani Military Cemetery on Sunday (February 25) morning.
The minister said that there was a big massacre in Pilkhana. The investigation into this incident was very challenging, and they are over. You have seen a preliminary trial. We expect the final judgment to be over within a few days. It totally depends on our judicial process. Hope the final judgment will be completed soon.
The Home Minister also said, ‘Whatever it is, it should be done quickly. But only the judges can tell when the trial will end. The decision taken by the court is final. You know our court is independent. We hope that the court will give a fair trial. There is no negligence here. As I have already said, there was a great deal of carnage here. All were properly investigated and large-scale trials. All this took time.’
Note that on this day of February 25, 2009 at 9:27 in the morning during the annual Darbar of BDR, a group of rebel soldiers entered the hall. One of them pointed a gun at the chest of the then Director General (Shakeel Ahmed) and shot him dead. Army officers were killed one by one in their firing. The rebellion ended 36 hours after the incident. Later, a mass grave was discovered inside the Pilkhana. The bodies of army officers were recovered from there. 57 army officers, 1 soldier, 2 army officers’ wives, 9 BGB members and 5 civilians were killed in this 36-hour massacre.
The High Court sentenced 139 people to death, 185 to life and 200 to various terms in the case filed in the mentioned incident (Pilkhana murder case). Even though 15 years have passed, no case has been finally resolved. Out of the 2 cases, the murder case is pending hearing in the Appellate Division. Another case under the Explosives Act is still pending in the Judicial (Lower) Court. No one can say for sure when the appeal hearing in the murder case will start.