Family members of 20 army officers killed in the 2009 BDR massacre today lodged a complaint against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 57 others with the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) over the BDR massacre in Dhaka's Pilkhana headquarters.

The complaint—filed over the killings that took place on February 25-26, 2009 in the Bangladesh Rifles (now Border Guard Bangladesh) headquarters in Dhaka's Pilkhana—was submitted to the ICT Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam around 2:00pm today.

After filing the complaint, the family members spoke to the media.

Apart from Hasina, her defence adviser, Major General (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddique, has been made accused in the complaint.

The complainants also urged the government to ensure a fair investigation and trial of the Pilkhana massacre and to stand by them in their pursuit of justice.

They also called for the release of innocent BDR soldiers who had been imprisoned for years and for the implementation of appropriate measures to establish a humanitarian example.

Furthermore, they demanded justice for the victims of the '24 July uprising and other anti-fascist protests, seeking compensation for the victims and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators to cleanse the nation of its shame.

Later, a press release was issued by the complainants.

According to the press release: "Sheikh Hasina and her party, the Awami League, planned and implemented a political agenda against Bangladesh's national and state interests, with the aim of destroying two of the country's most powerful institutions — the Bangladesh Army and the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR). To achieve this goal, their first target was a group of professional, honest, capable, and patriotic military officers working in the BDR. Sheikh Hasina identified these officers and their families as the primary obstacle to her autocratic rule and planned a massacre and crimes against humanity to solidify her power permanently."

The release continued: "Under the leadership, planning, and instructions of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Tariq Ahmed Siddique, the accused, along with others, carried out a massacre on the morning of February 25, 2009, until the evening of February 26, 2009, at the Pilkhana headquarters in Dhaka. They systematically carried out brutal killings, capturing and holding the victimised military officers and their families hostage. Some officers' bodies were burned, and looting, physical and mental torture, and other acts of inhumanity took place, resulting in a massacre and crimes against humanity."

"A total of 74 people lost their lives in the incident. Sheikh Hasina used this massacre as a means to send a harsh message to the rest of the security forces and patriotic citizens. Through this genocide, the entire military and political leaders, public representatives, and citizens were left powerless and unable to protest against the fascist ideology of Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League," said the press release.