Heavy gun battle erupts in Bangladesh Rifles HQs

A rebellion apparently broke out in para-military Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Headquarters in Pilkhana area here with witnesses reporting heavy gun battle among the troops at their main barracks.

Officials said army was called out to crush the rebellion as witnesses reported movement of military convoys and hovering of air force helicopters over the sky of the Pilkhana barracks.

Smoke could be seen coming from the complex, with security forces sealing the area off.

"The army troops are now chalking out plans to enter into the barracks where heavy exchanges of gunshots were still underway," an army source said but officials inside the BDR Headquarters could not be reached as they kept their phones switched off.

Further details were immediately not available and reasons for the gunfight could not be known. After independence from Pakistan in 1971, Bangladesh has had a history of coups and counter-coups.