Former army chief General (Retd.) Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan testified before International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Sunday in a case against Ziaul Ahsan, alleging that after the 2009 BDR mutiny, resentment against India and the Awami League sharply increased within the Bangladesh Army. He stated that professional officers were sidelined while loyal ones were promoted, and the army was drawn into national projects, leading to corruption. According to his testimony, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina believed a corrupt army would be safer for her government.

Bhuiyan further said that during Hasina’s 1996–2001 tenure, she consolidated control over the state by abolishing the caretaker government system and amending the constitution. He claimed that her relative, Tarique Siddique, as security adviser, established influence over intelligence and security agencies including DGFI, NSI, RAB, NTMC, Ansar, and BGB, forming four operational circles that extended political and financial control. Bhuiyan also described internal conflicts over RAB’s extrajudicial activities and his attempts to discipline officers defying military rules.

The testimony portrays a period of deep institutional division and alleged politicization within the armed forces following the BDR massacre.