Bangladesh Army protests Jafarulah’s comments

Bangladesh army today called “completely untrue, misleading and motivated” a recent comment by Ganashasthya Kendra Trustee Dr Jafarulah Chowdhury regarding army chief General Aziz Ahmed saying, it affected every military personnel’s morale, the force’s solidarity and extremely belittled the army’s top position.

“The untrue and irresponsible comment by a renowned person like Dr Jafarulah Chowdhury regarding a serving army chief appears to be completely motivated to belittle a state organisation like army before people,” the army said in a statement.

The statement, issued by the ISPR, added Jafarullah’s comments not only affected General Aziz’s personal reputation and social status but also “extremely belittled” the army chief’s position.

“In a different way it misled every serving military personnel and affected negatively their morale. Besides such a misleading campaign harmed the solidarity and unity of a disciplined force like army which is unexpected,” it read.

In a talk show titled “Sampadokyo” in private Somoy TV on October 9 evening Chowdhury said the incumbent army chief was military’s Chattogram area commandant or general officer commanding (GOC) when a huge quantum of military weapons and ammunitions “went missing, were stolen or sold out” from there.

He said the incident exposed General Aziz to a court martial.

“It was an untrue and irresponsible comment . . . because General Aziz in his service life never served as the GOC or commandant of Chattagram,” the army statement said.

It said the incumbent army chief was the Brigade Commander of the 33 Artillery Brigade in Cumilla from September 2010 to June, 2011, Brigade Commander of Independent ADA Brigade 6 of Dhaka’s Mirpur from June 2011 to May 2012 and 33 Infantry Division GOC in Cumilla from May, 2012 to December 2012.

“No incident of theft or missing took place in Chattogram or Cumilla during that period (and) it is especially mentionable that present Chief of Army Staff Aziz Ahmed did never face any court martial during his long colourful army career,” the statement said.

Source: bss