In pictures: Bangladesh violence

The Bangladeshi government says that mutinous paramilitary border guards have surrendered after a two-day revolt. [Warning: Some of these images may be disturbing.]

The scale of the loss of life remains unclear, but one government minister said as many as 50 officers may have been killed.

The relief was evident on the faces of hostages released by the border guards, after being held captive in the heart of the capital Dhaka.

The mutiny erupted at the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles border guards in the Pilkhana area of Dhaka on Wednesday.

They are said to have acted over long-standing anger about their pay and conditions.

Bangladeshi army troops moved in amid reports that guards had taken some of their officers hostages.

Civilians were sent fleeing for shelter as the violence continued throughout the day.

The mutiny reportedly spread from the capital Dhaka, with rank-and-file soldiers seizing control of their barracks and camps in at least 12 different towns and cities.

In a televised address on Wednesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina offered the mutineers an amnesty and promised to address their grievances.

Analysts expressed concern at how a dispute over pay and conditions could have escalated so suddenly, surprisingly and violently.

The unrest is the first major crisis for Sheikh Hasina since she took office after a landslide election victory in December, ending two years of army-backed rule.