Dhaka trial of Bangladesh mutiny begins

At least 57 army officers were killed in the mutiny

The trial has begun in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka of border guards accused of taking part in a mutiny a year ago.

The revolt by members of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) left 74 people dead, including 57 officers.

The mutineers blamed their revolt on bad pay and years of mistreatment by corrupt officers.

Last year, the government set up six special courts to try suspected mutineers. Trials began in November and the first verdict is expected in May.

The mutiny took the country to the brink of nationwide conflict. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said it was a plot to bring down her government.

Some 80 border guards went on trial in Dhaka on Tuesday charged in connection with the mutiny.

Proceedings are taking place in the same room at BDR headquarters - Darbar Hall - where the rebellion was launched when two soldiers tried to kill their commanding officer who was giving a speech at the time, the BBC's Mark Dummett in Dhaka reports.

Searchers pulled bodies out of sewers around the barracks

Charges against the mutineers include conspiracy to kill officers and civilians, using weapons and explosives, creating panic, looting and trying to hide bodies.

In all some 3,500 soldiers are to stand trial in military courts for taking part in the mutiny.

A smaller group, which one newspaper puts at about 800, are to stand trial for murder, rape and looting, in a separate civilian court.

No date has yet been set for that trial which will be, by some measure, the largest in the country's history, our correspondent adds.

At least 50 border guards detained for questioning have died in custody, the authorities say. Human rights groups have expressed alarm and suspect the figure could be higher.

Rights groups doubt the military's account that some of the detainees committed suicide, while the rest had heart attacks or died of other illnesses.