57 officers killed to undermine army morale: Mirza Fakhrul

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that 57 army officers were killed in a deliberate attempt to break the morale of the Bangladesh Army.

He made the remarks after paying tribute to martyred soldiers at Banani Military Graveyard on the occasion of National Martyred Army Day on Wednesday (February 25).

“On this day in 2009, around 72 officers and staff, including 57 officers of the then BDR, were brutally killed. It remains a deeply shameful chapter in our nation’s history. The attack aimed to destabilise the country’s security system and undermine the army’s morale. Yet, the people stood firm to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and democracy,” he said.

The minister added that with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party now in government, the focus is on strengthening national sovereignty, upholding democracy, and ensuring a fair investigation into the killings to hold the responsible accountable under the law.

He concluded by paying deep respect to the martyrs and expressing condolences to their families.