Thu Dec 26 17:30:57 UTC 2024: ## Bangladesh Launches Inquiry into 2009 Army Mutiny, Investigating Foreign Involvement
**DHAKA, BANGLADESH –** Bangladesh has launched a commission to investigate the 2009 army mutiny and subsequent crackdown, including allegations of foreign involvement, according to the inquiry’s chief. The violent mutiny, which resulted in numerous deaths and arrests, led to scores of mutineers receiving death sentences.
While a previous investigation attributed the mutiny to years of unmet demands from soldiers, families of the victims have pushed for a renewed probe, accusing former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of orchestrating a plan to weaken the military. These accusations also implicate India, a claim likely to strain relations between the two countries.
Commission chief A.L.M. Fazlur Rahman stated that the inquiry aims to determine if foreign entities participated in the events, citing allegations of national and international conspiracies. The mutiny involved the theft of thousands of weapons from the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters, followed by a widespread killing spree. The ensuing crackdown saw thousands arrested and tried in special military courts, a process criticized by the United Nations for its shortcomings.
The timing of the investigation coincides with heightened tensions between Bangladesh and India, as Dhaka recently requested Hasina’s extradition to face charges related to the mutiny. Hasina, who remains in India, was ousted as Prime Minister in August. The commission’s findings are expected to shed light on this pivotal event in Bangladesh’s history and its international ramifications.
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