Colonel Gulzar Uddin Ahmed, lauded for his role as a Rab official in the drive against militants, especially those of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), waited a long time for his colleagues to come and to save his life from the brutal hands of the BDR mutineers (so-called) on February 25.
On February 25, in his first call at 9:38 am to RAB intelligence director Lieutenant Col Majid, he sought help for him and the other officers under attack. After that he dialed on the TNT number of DG of RAB, Hasan Mahmud Khandaker. He also talked to ADG of RAB and the Commanding officer of RAB-2 and discussed about the operations.
Colonel Gulzar also made four other calls to Army headquarters for help. The duration of the calls was for 31 seconds, 55 seconds, 48 seconds and 101 seconds respectively. And finally he called his some fellow RAB officials and waited for the troops till he was gunned down.
It was learnt that two troops from the RAB headquarter and RAB-2 were headed for Pilkhana after receiving calls from Gulzar at 10:38 am. He informed them that he was lying into the Darbar Hall of BDR headquarter and the mutineers must have to flee away the scene, if only two platoons of armed soldiers reach the area for the Army’s support, as mutineers were not equipped with too much modern weapons.
At about 11:20 am Col Gulzar had received a message in his cell phone. From 9:38 am to 11:20 am he had made a total of sixteen phone calls to different numbers and urged all to save the lives of the army officials including him.
Meanwhile, 2 troops of 300 members RAB team reached the gate-4 of BDR headquarters within 10:00 am and waited for the government order to start operation against the BDR rebellious team.
Finally the government handled the 33-hours long mutiny ‘successfully’, but was failed to save the talented army officers like Col Gulzar , who had served the nation courageously till death.
Gulzar, who believed that the rescue teams will arrive soon and save his life from the inhuman killing, same as the nation awaits to see the punishment of the killers of Gulzar and others.
The dead body of Colonel Gulzar Uddin Ahmed was found 10 days after the mutiny inside the BDR headquarter and identified by a DNA test on March 10. He was laid to rest on March 11 at the Banani graveyard in Dhaka with his other colleagues, as same as they had fought together to maintain peace across the world.
Colonel Gulzar was posted to BDR in Sylhet early February.
Before being promoted as additional DG of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), he was in the intelligence wing of the elite crime-busting force, and conducted some major investigations.
He led the operation that netted JMB operations commander Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai.
/ Mar 21
