Several quarters have tried to blame India for the Pilkhana tragedy in 2009. But the Indian high commissioner at that time, Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, dismissed the allegation.

In an interview, the Indian diplomat said that there is enough reason to believe that the revolt by BDR soldiers was instigated by BNP-Jamaat group to destabilise the just elected AL government in 2009.

At that time, after top military officers, including the DG of BDR, Shakil Ahmed, were killed by rebelling soldiers, several BNP and Jamaat leaders blamed India.

Old newspapers show that BNP’s Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and Jamaat’s Ali Ahsan Mujahid said that India was behind the carnage to weaken the base of the Bangladesh Army.

Former high commissioner, Pinak Ranjan, says, “We did not have any prior intelligence information about the attack and only came to know of it through TV and radio.”

Those who have always opposed Bangladesh-India relations, tried to propagate absurd conspiracy theories.

Those who spread such unfounded notions do not understand that India had nothing to gain from it and did not harbor any desire to put Sheikh Hasina’s government in jeopardy.

The mutiny was triggered by internal strife. We heard that BDR was infiltrated by many BNP-Jamaat elements who tried to trigger a rebellion and destabilise a newly elected government.

The former diplomat further said that by killing army officers, an attempt was made to antagonize the military so it would topple the newly elected AL government.

The disgruntlement within BDR was strategically exploited, he added.