Rangamati, Nov 25 (bdnews24.com)--The accused border guards of Rangamati battalion will be officially charged on Dec 27 with the BDR mutiny.

BDR director general Maj Gen Moinul Islam, who chaired the proceedings of special court at the border force's Rangamati district headquarters, gave the order on Wednesday.

The second day's proceedings began at 9:45am and ended at 10:10am. Nine BDR personnel of Rifles Battalion-12 were produced before the special court.

The court adjourned up to 3pm, Dec 27.

The accused have been given the scope of self defence within this period and they may choose a BDR lawyer or a civil lawyer for defence.

The BDR men accused of participating in mutiny are Shibbir Ahmed, Abul Kalam Azad, Abdur Rahman, Sarwar Hossain, Sakhawat Hossain, Zahiruddin, Sarwar Kamal, Shamsul Haque and Russel Kabir.

Prosecutor Lt Col Md Habibul Karim presented evidence before the court against the accused.

State counsels Mosharraf Hossain Kajal and Monjurul Alam read out charges in court against the accused border guards on the first day's proceedings that began on Tuesday.

The bloody Feb 25-26 mutiny at the border force's Dhaka headquarters at Peelkhana killed over 70 people, 57 of them army officers deputed to the BDR force. The rebellion also spread to other BDR ouposts around the country.

On Nov 15, the government formed six special courts, including two in Dhaka, to try some 3,500 border guards accused in some 40 cases in connection with mutiny around the country.

Rangamati BDR commander Col Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman said Special Court No 4 was set up at their headquarters to try the local mutiny suspects.

If allegations are proved, one might have to stay maximum seven years in jail.

Thirty-nine border guards have so far been arrested and accused in three separate mutiny cases in Longdu, Baghaichharhi and Barkal Upazilas of Rangamati district.

President Zillur Rahman sent a reference to the Supreme Court on Aug 17 seeking directives on the trial process, specifically whether the trial of the BDR mutineers could be held under the Army Act 1952.

The court appointed 10 senior lawyers as amici curiae, literally 'friends of the court', to advise on the reference. The court began hearing their opinions on the reference on Aug 25 and ended on Sept 3.

The majority of the amici curiae opined that trial of BDR personnel could not be held under the Army Act, 1952 even by notification.

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