Bangladesh upholds death sentence for 139 over 2009 mutiny

Dhaka, Nov 27 (IANS) A Bangladesh court on Monday upheld the death sentences of 139 people for their involvement in the 2009 mutiny at the border guards headquarters here which left 74 people dead.

A division bench of Justice Nazrul Islam, Justice Shawkat Hossain and Justice Md Abu Zafor Siddique delivered the verdict, reports Xinhua news agency.

The High Court division also upheld the jail terms for 196 border guards.

The mutiny on February 25 and 26, 2009 was staged by a group of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), a paramilitary force that guards the country's borders.

The victims included civilians, the BGB Director-General and some Army officers.

A total of 850 people -- 823 BGB soldiers and 23 civilians -- were accused in the case.

Among the accused, 813 were arrested, 13 are on bail, 20 are on the run while four died in custody.

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