Dhaka, Dec 1 — Bangladesh’s Awami League has sharply condemned what it calls a “malicious and politically motivated” attempt by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to mislead the nation with an “imaginary and baseless narrative” surrounding the 2009 Pilkhana massacre.
The criticism came after a National Independent Commission—formed in December 2024 by the interim administration—submitted its investigation report to Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Sunday. The report accuses former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and senior Awami League leaders of orchestrating the deadly mutiny by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) personnel.
According to Prothom Alo, the revolt erupted on February 25, 2009, during the three-day BDR Week, when several hundred BDR members attacked officers inside the Darbar Hall at Pilkhana headquarters. A total of 74 people, including 57 army officers, were killed in the mutiny—one of the darkest chapters in Bangladesh’s history.
In a strongly worded statement, the Awami League termed the new report a “fabricated political drama” crafted by an “illegal usurper, killer-fascist clique.” The party said the report aims to unfairly implicate the Awami League without providing any credible evidence. It argued that initial analysis indicates the massacre was a deliberate attempt to destabilize the newly elected Hasina government, driven by anti–Awami League sentiment.
The statement further noted that the Deputy Assistant Directors who led the mutiny had been appointed during the BNP–Jamaat regime and that the killings targeted officers from freedom fighter and Awami League family backgrounds. Many of those officers had played key roles in combating militancy and ensuring the fair 2008 elections.
Questioning the motive behind the accusations, the party asked who would have benefited from such an attack only 50 days after Hasina assumed office.
The Awami League urged the public to remain united against what it described as a calculated effort by “illegal usurpers” to weaken democratic forces and justify their hold on power. The party stressed that the nation must guard itself against division and confusion arising from the Commission’s “malicious” actions.
