Major General (Retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman, former Director General of BDR and head of the National Independent Investigation Commission re-investigating the 2009 BDR massacre at Pilkhana, has said that the commission has recorded statements from two fugitive Awami League leaders.

According to him, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, a Presidium Member of the Awami League, and Mirza Azam, the party’s Organizing Secretary and a former minister, submitted their statements via email.

He made these remarks on Wednesday (June 25) during the commission’s third press conference.

The commission chief added that interviews were conducted with 15 officers who survived the massacre. Additionally, 50 other surviving officers were personally sent letters—through Army Headquarters—requesting written statements. Two separate conferences were also held to exchange views with them on various aspects of the incident.

Political Figures

Fazlur Rahman said statements from eight political figures have been recorded in total. Of them, interviews with three individuals were conducted in prison, three gave statements in person, and the two fugitive leaders provided their statements via email.

Military Personnel

The chairman said testimonies have been collected from 55 armed forces officers who were either directly linked to or held key responsibilities during the Pilkhana tragedy. These include several former chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as heads of intelligence agencies and other senior officials.

Civilian Witnesses

The commission has interviewed 20 civilians, including journalists, bureaucrats, and members of previous investigation committees who were involved with the incident.

Police Officials

Statements from the then Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner, and other senior police officials have also been recorded.

Private Individuals

Fazlur Rahman added that nine individuals from various professions—including businessmen and telecommunications experts—have been interviewed for their potentially relevant information.

Convicted Individuals

Testimonies from 25 BDR members currently serving prison sentences have been recorded. They described the events and provided information about others involved, which is now under analysis. Additional interviews are ongoing.

Released BDR Members

Statements have also been taken from 29 former BDR personnel who are no longer in custody.

Total Testimonies and Pending Interviews

So far, a total of 158 individuals have been interviewed, with approximately 50 more testimonies pending, said the commission chief.

Foreign Sources

Efforts are underway to collect information from six foreign embassies and the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Dhaka.

Call for Information

The commission has urged any individual, institution, or media outlet with information related to the Pilkhana tragedy to come forward and share relevant details.