FBI team to arrive in B'desh on 8 March: Moni

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will arrive in the capital on Sunday, to help Bangladesh probe the BDR mutiny as fears were expressed that it was aimed at triggering a civil war in the country.

Bangladesh foreign minister Dipu Moni said an advance team of the FBI would arrive on Sunday, to help in the probe into the BDR headquarters carnage, which killed 73 army officers.

She said the FBI team is coming at the request of government. She, however, did not give details of the FBI team and its terms of reference of the investigation, the Daily Star newspaper said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the newspaper, based on diplomatic sources reported that that two special agents of the FBI, stationed in New Delhi, will fly to Dhaka soon to help in the investigations.

They said the FBI agents would talk to authorities concerned and make initial assessment. The government also has sought assistance from Scotland Yard in the probe.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina earlier sought the forensic assistance from the FBI. She has said the mutiny was aimed at triggering a civil war and warned that the masterminds behind the bloody revolt still wanted to achieve their goal.

"The aim of the conspirators, who had staged the bloody incidents at BDR headquarters killing scores of brilliant army officers, was to trigger anarchy and push the country to the brink of a civil war... They (mutiny masterminds) still want to set off a civil war," she said during a discussion at her Awami League party's meeting here on Saturday.