“The trial of BDR killings has been started and let me assure you this will be completed,” she said talking to family members of the martyred army officials when they met her at the Prime Minister’s Office, as they just passed the first anniversary of the BDR carnage in tears.

At the meeting the annual cheques from Bangladesh Association of Bankers (BAB) were given to the dependants of the slain army officers who were in command of the border force and were all massacred in the February 25-26 mutiny inside the Peelkhana headquarters of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) last year. 

She again said that the provocateurs in the BDR killings along with the culprits who were involved in staging the carnage both would be brought to trial.

“The provocateurs will also be found out and tried,” the Prime Minister told the members of the ruined families.

She reassured that her government will be beside the martyred army officials’ families.

“I will be beside you until my death,” Hasina said, adding that she could realize the pains of losing kith and kin for the August 15, 1975 grim tragedy. 

“I also feel the pain as my kith and kin were killed on August 15.” 

Earlier, one-minute silence was observed for the deceased army officials.

In assistance with the Prime Minister Office and organized by the BAB, all families of the martyred army families will be given Tk 40,000 per month for the next 10 years for their upkeep.

Today Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over the cheques for Tk 480,000 to each family for the second year.

Meanwhile, Tk 9 million to Tk 5 million has already been distributed among the family members of the army officials according to their ranks and tenures of service. Besides, pensions had been given to most of the families while the process of giving pensions to the rest six families is in the final stage.

A total of 56 families were given placement shares of Trust Mutual Fund worth Tk 200,000 each.

Trust Bank waived the interest on loan for the period of January 2009 to December 2009 for those who had taken loans from the Bank.

Jobs have been provided for 28 out of 31 applicants among the martyred family members (wives and children).

As per the special assistance from the PMO, initiatives had been taken to provide free education at AIUB, BRAC, North South and Santa Maria universities. Already process has been completed to provide free admission and tuition-fee waiver for 79 children of the martyred army officials in different schools and colleges.

Process has also been completed to provide permanent accommodation for the martyr families.

As part of providing them temporary accommodation, 44 families were placed in different cantonments for their temporary accommodation. All of the family members have been provided medical facilities at the CMH.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Advisers to the Prime Minister HT Imam and Major General (rtd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique and BAB president Nazrul Islam Majumder were among others present.

The banks contributing the money are EXIM Bank, Southeast Bank, National Bank, Dutch-Bangla Bank, Islami Bank, First Security Islami Bank, AB Bank, Eastern Bank, Uttara Bank, Jamuna Bank, Mercantile Bank, Premier Bank, Bank Asia, Mutual Trust Bank, The City Bank, UCBL, Standard Bank, NCC Bank, Shahjalal Islami Bank, Al-Arafah Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, Dhaka Bank, Prime Bank, Trust Bank, Pubali Bank and BRAC Bank.