Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Thursday demanded a judicial probe into the Pilkhana carnage to unearth the mystery behind the deadly incident that killed 74 people, including 57 army officers, in 2009.

BNP standing committee member Lt Gen (retd.) Mahbubur Rahman came up with the demand after paying tributes along with other BNP leaders to the 74 victims of the tragic incident at Banani Graveyard, reported United News of Bangladesh.

A BNP delegation, led by Mahbub, placed wreaths at the graves of the victims, in favour of the party and its chairperson, showing homage to them.

The other members of the delegation include BNP standing committee member ASM Hannan Shah, vice chairmen Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Hafizuddin Ahmed, chairperson’s advisers Ruhul Alam Chowdhury and Fazle Elahi Akbar.

They also offered a prayer seeking eternal peace of the departed souls.

Talking to reporters, Mahbub said the country as well as the army suffered an irreparable loss due to the killing of the 57 brilliant army officers seven years back.

‘The trial of Pilkhana carnage has been on for a long time…it’s a farce in the name of trial. The conspirators and the real killers remain shrouded in mystery as the trial is not being held properly. So, we demand a judicial probe to debunk the mystery behind the incident,’ he said.

The BNP leader also urged the government to publish a whitepaper disclosing the names of those involved in the terrible incident.

Mahbub also demanded the government announce 25 February as a ‘national mourning day’.

Hannan Shah said those who were behind the Pilkhana massacre were entertained by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by inviting them on that day. ‘So, is it necessary to say who were involved in the incident?’

He also alleged that the killers of the army officers were encouraged by promoting one of them after the incident.

On 25 February 2009, several hundred BDR, now BGB, members took up arms against their superiors at the Pilkhana Darbar Hall and killed 74 people, including 57 army officials and then BDR chief Major General Shakil Ahmed.