Bangladesh military court opens mutineers' trial

Feb 23, 2010, 12:08 GMT

Dhaka - The military trial began Tuesday for 86 members of Bangladesh's paramilitary border force, nearly one year after a mutiny left 74 people dead, officials said.

The special court opened proceedings around noon in Durbar Hall, the site where the members of the Bangladesh Rifles took up arms against their commanders on February 25, 2009.

Special security measures were in place in and around the building, which serves as the force's headquarters.

Major General Mainul Islam, current chief of the border guards, presided over the three-member panel of judges. The prosecution argued that 40 of the accused had fired on their own officers on the first day of two-day mutiny, killing several including then-director general Shakil Ahmed.

The martial law court adjourned the trial until Wednesday after a two-hour hearing.

The mutiny over working conditions and promotion policies spread to several locations in the country.

The 33-hour uprising left at least 74 people dead, including 57 army officers, before it was brought to an end by government troops on February 26.