RAB soldiers used to kill people for Tk 10,000, says Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan in tribunal
The testimony given by former army chief Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan against Ziaul Ahsan in the case of kidnapping and murder of 104 people has ended. This testimony has exposed the culture of kidnapping and killing of RAB and army officers. Today, Monday (February 9), in his testimony before the International Crimes Tribunal-1 headed by Justice Golam Maturj Majumder, former army officer Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan said that RAB soldiers used to kill people for Tk 10,000. After killing the victims, their stomachs were cut, their intestines were taken out, their bodies were covered with bricks and thrown into the river.
He also said, “I think RAB should be abolished immediately. If that is not possible, then army personnel from RAB should be brought back to the military. I also want the DGFI to be abolished.” Because this organization has lost its legitimacy to exist after giving birth to a culture of killing.
Regarding the deaths at the Hefazat Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in 2013, the former army chief said, “I heard from various sources that at that time, RAB would cut open the stomachs of those it killed, take out their intestines, tie them with bricks and stones and drown them in the river. Seeing this activity of RAB at that time, I started visiting various departments and training institutions of the army and started motivating the officers to refrain from such acts. At one point, I brought all the army officers to Dhaka and made them aware of their duties towards the junior officers. I reminded them that many military officers involved in the assassination of Sheikh Mujib and Zia have been hanged. Some more officers are in jail after receiving the death sentence in the ten-truck arms case. Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan said, “Despite all this, when I realized that the crossfire was not stopping, I stopped the posting of DGFI, BGB and RAB officers.” At that time, many reminded me that what I was doing was It was tantamount to rebellion. I thought I would have to go to the battlefield and answer to Allah. The reaction to stop posting was intense. I was getting repeated telephone calls, asking me to post. Then, during the inauguration of the Chittagong Radisson Hotel, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called me in a meeting with the police and asked me to give officers to RAB. I told her that it was not possible to give officers to RAB due to the shortage of officers. This pressure continued until my retirement. But I remained steadfast in my decision.
He further said that my period of duty was very painful due to the activities of RAB. The pain of doing nothing overwhelmed me. Today, the opportunity to complete the task of not being able to do it has come.
He said that many people think that I have taken a stand against the army. My explanation on this is that we should not waste the opportunity for self-purification under any circumstances. This will not tarnish the glory of the army, rather the army will remain at the peak of glory. The entire nation will know that the army never spares the guilty. Getting away with committing crimes under the flag of the army The officers’ mentality, pride and honor will be destroyed. I want RAB to be abolished immediately. If that is not possible, then they should be brought back into the military. I also want DGFI to be abolished. Because this organization has lost the legitimacy to survive after giving birth to a bad culture like a mirror.
