Bangladesh released 178 former paramilitary troops from prison on Thursday, nearly 16 years after their arrest for involvement in a violent mutiny that claimed the lives of dozens of senior army officers.
The mutiny, which erupted in 2009, was led by disgruntled members of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), who brutally murdered 74 people during a two-day rebellion. The revolt began in the capital, Dhaka, and rapidly spread across the country, causing chaos and destabilizing the newly formed government of Sheikh Hasina just weeks after she assumed office.
In the aftermath, thousands of BDR personnel were arrested, and over 150 were initially handed death sentences in controversial trials that drew criticism from human rights organizations for alleged procedural flaws. Those released on Thursday had been acquitted of murder charges but remained in custody for more than a decade on accusations of violating explosives laws. Their legal cases remained unresolved until now.
For many of the released prisoners, the moment marked a poignant return to freedom. “I can’t express my feelings in words. I am returning to my family. I came out of a life full of darkness into the light,” said Abul Kashem, 38, one of the newly freed individuals, in an interview with AFP.
The mass release follows political shifts in Bangladesh, including the recent ousting of Sheikh Hasina after a student-led uprising against her 15-year rule. Crowds of relatives gathered outside Dhaka prisons early Thursday morning, eagerly awaiting the reunion with their loved ones.
This event represents a turning point in a decades-long chapter of legal and political turmoil, offering hope for reconciliation in a nation still grappling with the scars of the 2009 mutiny.
