Killers dug a hole and dumped 38 bodies of the officers of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) during the 33-hour mutiny of border guards at its headquarters in the city. The mutineers buried the army officers deputed to BDR, including BDR Director General Major General Shakil Ahmed, in the mass grave after the gruesome killing, apparently to hide their brutality.The hole, which is around 12 feet in length, 10 feet wide and 15 feet deep, is located on the eastern side of the BDR hospital. The rescuers found the bodies dumped haphazardly in the hole. It was hard to identify many of the bodies as mutinous BDR men fired innumerable shots on the bodies and also charged bayonets to vent their anger.
Among the deceased officials, BDR DG Maj Gen Shakil received seven bullets in different parts of his body, including his arms, chest and head. One of his eyes was also gouged out.
Family members and relatives of the deceased BDR officers thronged Dhaka Medical College (DMC) and Sir Salimullah Medical College morgues since yesterday afternoon to identify their near and dear ones. They were facing difficulties in identifying the bodies. The bodies of the BDR officers were decomposed and family members were seen identifying the deceased through different familiar marks on the body of their beloved ones.
A total of 30 bodies, recovered on Thursday night and yesterday, were sent to Sir Salimullah Medical College morgue while 21 bodies to DMC morgue for autopsy. Family members and relatives could not identify 10 bodies until yesterday midnight, sources said.
Anwar Hossain, a sweeper of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) who assisted the rescuers, told The Daily Star, "I got stinky smell and requested the rescue officials to step forward. Later, they dug a place where they unearthed the mass graveyard."
Personnel from Bangladesh Army and Rab conducted the body recovery operation while the members of Fire Service and Civil Defence and DCC staff accompanied them.
Anwar said he also found three bodies dumped into two manholes inside the BDR headquarters.
A witness to the operation said the undressed bodies were dumped first inside the hole as these bodies were found at bottom of the hole while the uniformed bodies were found above. Some rescuers suspected that the killers undressed many of the officials during dumping. At one stage, they dumped the bodies in uniform as they buried the bodies in a hurry.
Commander SMAK Azad, director legal and media wing of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) who was present during the recovery operation, told The Daily Star, "It is difficult to identify the bodies, as the bodies were decomposed after burial."
He said one of the officials sent him a message while he was trapped in a room.
Witnesses said 16 bodies were found undressed while others in BDR uniform among the recovered bodies. It was difficult to identify the bodies of uniformed BDR men, as there were no badges on the uniform. Sources said some officials removed their badges from the uniform to save themselves during the attack.
Many officers took shelter inside manholes and drains but they could not save themselves.