Reformed, they get going today with new name, flag, uniform
Bangladesh Rifles that has a history of more than 200 years officially takes on the name Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and its flag today, nearly two years after the bloody mutiny at the Pilkhana BDR headquarters.
As part of plans to radically reform the force, a law was enacted in December last year. But some changes take effect today with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hoisting the force's new flag.
Reorganisation and reform of the force came to the fore after 74 people including 57 army officers were massacred in the BDR mutiny at Pilkhana on February 25-26, 2009.
It is a military custom to disband a unit in case of any revolt, BDR Director General Maj General Rafiqul Islam told The Daily Star explaining the reasons behind changing the name, flag and uniform of the force.
Of the 12 BDR sectors, only two in Comilla and Chittagong, and only five of 46 battalions did not see any revolt after the mutiny spread from the Pilkhana BDR headquarters to other units across the country in 2009.
“Since almost the entire force revolted in 2009, the authority decided to change the name, flag and uniform as per the custom, apart from bringing major reforms to the border force,” said the BGB chief.
BDR officials said in line with the law enacted last year, uniform and the name of the border force have already been changed in cases of many units except the one at the headquarters, which gets the new name today through a ceremony.
They said it is a custom to hoist the new flag of the force or any of its units in a ceremony.
The colour of rank and badges imprinted on the force's flag will be changed from black to gun metal (close to silver), said a BDR official.
Apart from the authorisation for changing the force's name, flag and uniform, the new Border Guard Bangladesh Law includes provisions of death sentence as the highest punishment for committing grievous offences, and giving the force a new structural shape. In the previous law the maximum punishment was seven years' rigorous imprisonment.
The previous law sanctioned trial of the accused of mutiny only, not grievous offences like killing.
According to the new law, the border force will have four regional headquarters in Brahmanbaria, Chittagong, Jessore and Naogaon. The number of its sectors will also be increased from 12 to 16.
The force will gradually set up the regional headquarters and sectors with allocation of funds for the purpose in the upcoming budget, said a BDR official.
As part of plans to radically reform the force, a law was enacted in December last year. But some changes take effect today with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hoisting the force's new flag.
Reorganisation and reform of the force came to the fore after 74 people including 57 army officers were massacred in the BDR mutiny at Pilkhana on February 25-26, 2009.
It is a military custom to disband a unit in case of any revolt, BDR Director General Maj General Rafiqul Islam told The Daily Star explaining the reasons behind changing the name, flag and uniform of the force.
Of the 12 BDR sectors, only two in Comilla and Chittagong, and only five of 46 battalions did not see any revolt after the mutiny spread from the Pilkhana BDR headquarters to other units across the country in 2009.
“Since almost the entire force revolted in 2009, the authority decided to change the name, flag and uniform as per the custom, apart from bringing major reforms to the border force,” said the BGB chief.
BDR officials said in line with the law enacted last year, uniform and the name of the border force have already been changed in cases of many units except the one at the headquarters, which gets the new name today through a ceremony.
They said it is a custom to hoist the new flag of the force or any of its units in a ceremony.
The colour of rank and badges imprinted on the force's flag will be changed from black to gun metal (close to silver), said a BDR official.
Apart from the authorisation for changing the force's name, flag and uniform, the new Border Guard Bangladesh Law includes provisions of death sentence as the highest punishment for committing grievous offences, and giving the force a new structural shape. In the previous law the maximum punishment was seven years' rigorous imprisonment.
The previous law sanctioned trial of the accused of mutiny only, not grievous offences like killing.
According to the new law, the border force will have four regional headquarters in Brahmanbaria, Chittagong, Jessore and Naogaon. The number of its sectors will also be increased from 12 to 16.
The force will gradually set up the regional headquarters and sectors with allocation of funds for the purpose in the upcoming budget, said a BDR official.
No comments:
Post a Comment