ASIA/BANGLADESH - Missionary tells of the “days of national mourning”

Dacca (Agenzia Fides) - “In Bangladesh, these are days of national mourning, for the tragic events that took place in Dacca, the capital,” Agenzia Fides learned from missionary Fr. Quirico Martinelli in a moving personal testimony. The revolt of nearly 1,000 rebels of the Bangladesh Rifle (BDR) caused the death of over 160 soldiers and civilians. The event wrought terror among the people and alarm in the institutions, until a military intervention managed to scare off the rebels. Yesterday, in Dacca, funerals were held for many of the victims with the participation of thousands of people.
“It was a bitter surprise for us all,” the missionary explains. “For many years now, there has been no episode of this nature, such as the various coups that occurred in the country between 1975-1985. These, however, were conducted by the national army, while the revolt was led by the Bangladesh Rifle, a kind of border patrol and rural police.”
The rebels were protesting delayed payments, but no one thought that they would take up arms. “We still do not exactly understand what has occurred and why. Rescue workers continue in search of the unaccounted for and the number of dead continues to rise.”
The BDR involved in the revolt are a small group, which did not have problems before, as it was controlled by the army. In fact, their Chief Commander and the various commanders in the other districts are generals in the army. Fr. Quirico added: “It was precisely against these commanders and officials that the revolt was conducted in the main camp in Dacca. Later it extended to the other camps in other districts.” The press says that the causes of the revolt seem too trivial to lead to such a drastic reaction: “There were complaints related to the salaries and the officers' treatment of the army. One of the requests of the revolutionaries was that from now on, the leaders be chosen from among the BDR, not from among army officials.”
“The government has acted with caution, calling for their surrender, using intermediaries, without making the army intervene directly, in an effort to avoid a worse fate.” After an agreement was reached, the soldiers of the army entered the camps, freeing the kidnapped and arresting the revolutionaries. Many, however, managed to escape.
Three days of national mourning have been declared in the country. Sheik Hasina's government recently came into power, following the general elections held in January 2009, after two years of a provisional government during which all Parliamentary and partisan activity was suspended. “We hope that the young democracy is strong enough to overcome this serious crisis,” the missionary concluded. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 3/3/2008)