Prime minister Sheikh Hasina was holding a meeting with chiefs of army, navy and air force Wednesay to discuss the events at the BDR headquarters after gunshots erupted in and around the compound in the morning.
At least one civilian was killed and 7 were wounded as Bangladesh Rifles Headquarters Wednesday morning.
A number of top BDR officers were killed inside the compound, sources said.
The BDR personnel in a letter alleged that they had been repressed for long by the army officers and stripped of basic rights.
They handed a letter to the people gathered outside the sprawling compound around 2pm and ask them to give it to the media.
Heavy deployment of army troops is seen on the streets surrounding the BDR compound. Soldiers are making no move to take the compound as yet.
Army officers are urging the BDR personnel by loudspeaker to calm down and surrender their arms.
Earlier home minister Sahara Khatun and other senior ministers met the prime minister at her residence.
Heavy deployment of army troops is seen on the streets surrounding the BDR compound. Soldiers are making no move to take the compound as yet.
Army officers are urging the BDR personnel by loudspeaker to calm down and surrender their arms.
Gunfire broke out shortly after 9am and the firing was continuing without break up to 2pm.
Sources inside the headquarters told us BDR personnel began firing during the director general's address at the annual Darbar reportedly over pay dispute.
The military's press wing said the prime minister will speak to the BDR personnel and hear their complaints and grievances.
The personnel fired shots out of the compound at civilians on at least two occasions. A bullet-hit rickshaw puller brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital died on arrival there.
At least 200 panicked students of the nearby South Breeze School were trapped.
"The Jawans have laid siege to a group of officers within the BDR HQ premises," home ministry public relations officer Shahinoor Miah told us.
"They began firing shots shortly after 9am."
The rifle fire was continuing without break up to 1pm.
our senior reporter badol reported a patrolling helicopter shooting into the compound at one point.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina summoned the home minister Sahara Khatun as soon as the shootings began.
BDR personnel carrying heavy arms were seen taking position at the main entrance to the Bangladesh Rifles Headquarters on Dhanmondi Road 2 in the morning.
our reported that the personnel fired shots out of the compound at civilians on at least two occasions, once around 10:30am and a second time around 11:15am.
our correspondents said a bullet-hit rickshaw puller brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital died on arrival at DMCH.
Traffic movement remained suspended on the roads around the BDR compound since troops took position.
An Inter Services Public Relations press release issued after the incident asked the BDR personnel to surrender their arms immediately and return to barracks.
The prime minister will speak to the BDR personnel and hear their complaints and grievances, it said.
If anyone is found taking the law in their hands violating the order, stringent punitive measures will be taken against them, the ISPR release warned.