Court upholds death penalty for 139 soldiers over mutiny

Court

A Bangladeshi Court has confirmed death sentences for 139 soldiers of a paramilitary border force for killing their commanders during a mutiny nearly eight years ago.

A three-member panel of judges of the High Court also upheld life in prison for 146 others for their involvement in the killings, looting and other criminal offences during the February 25 to 26, 2009, massacre, said Attorney General Mahbubey Alam on Monday.

At least 74 people, including 57 army officers, were killed in the two-day mutiny at the Dhaka headquarters of the then Bangladesh Rifles force, which was later renamed as Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). (dpa/NAN)