All officers are under 24-hour surveillance.
New Delhi: Big news is coming from Bangladesh. Five officers of the Bangladesh Army have been put under house arrest for their role during the student uprising last July. Northeast News has reported this information. After the July student uprising, Sheikh Hasina had to resign as Prime Minister in August last year. Following that, she fled to India from Dhaka.
The house arrest of military officers comes at a time when Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman is on a visit to Russia. This development has heightened interest regarding Dhaka.
According to the report, among the five senior officers of the Bangladesh Army who have been confined in Dhaka cantonment are two brigadiers, one colonel, one lieutenant colonel, and one major. The military officials were restricted to their official residences on April 5. The interim government of Bangladesh has not publicly revealed the identities of the five officers.
However, Indian agencies have identified all five. They include Brigadier General S M Zakaria Hussain (Engineers Brigade), Brigadier General Imran Hamid (Infantry Brigade). General Hamid was also the ADC of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Additionally, Colonel Abdullah Al-Momen from the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Ridwanul Islam from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and Major Mohammad Noman Al Faruk from the East Bengal Regiment have been identified.
All officers are under 24-hour surveillance, as reported by agencies, and have been relieved of all duties. Their activities are restricted, and they have been prevented from leaving the country. Sources have confirmed that the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) had filed charges against the officials, after which General Waker-Uz-Zaman approved this step.
Army Chief General Zaman was initially unwilling to take action without solid evidence, but reportedly authorized house arrest against the officials after the ICT presented conclusions against them. According to a report citing an official, “This is an open arrest. They are staying at their homes but are under strict surveillance. They have been removed from their respective duties and cannot leave the country under any circumstances.”
