Bangladesh's official investigation into a deadly mutiny by
paramilitary border guards says frustration over low pay and poor treatment led
to the revolt.
The head of the investigating committee, Anisuzzaman Khan, told reporters
Wednesday that many members of the Bangladesh Rifles had complained for years
about the way they were treated by army officers but were continuously ignored.
Khan says the border guards were particularly disgruntled over their salary
structure, and not being able to get promotions or positions as U.N.
peacekeepers.
The 309-page report found no link to Islamic militants or foreign forces.
The inquiry committee says the main goals of the mutiny were to destabilize the
government as well as internal security in Bangladesh.
The report, released Wednesday, was commissioned by the government and is the
first official look into the cause of the mutiny.
More than 70 people, including 57 army officers, were killed during the two-day
siege at the border force's headquarters base in Dhaka in February.
Authorities have arrested more than 1,800 border guards for involvement in the
mutiny, and are searching for 24 others.
Last week, the government ordered an investigation into the deaths in custody
of 21 alleged mutineers.
Officials have said four of the deaths were suicides, while the others resulted
from heart attacks and other causes.
Our Dhaka stringer Zahurul Alam has a detailed report on it.