Bangladesh Armed Forces

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File:Victory Day Parade, Dhaka, Bangladesh 2011.jpg
Bangladesh Army during Victory Day Parade 2011

The Bangladesh Armed Forces (Template:Langx) is the combined military force of Bangladesh, responsible for national defense, safeguarding sovereignty, and supporting civil authorities during emergencies. It consists of three uniformed branches: the Bangladesh Army, the Bangladesh Navy, and the Bangladesh Air Force. The armed forces operate under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence of the Government of Bangladesh and are directly administered by the Armed Forces Division of the Prime Minister's Office.[1] The President of Bangladesh serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Bangladesh Armed Forces.

Bangladesh has the third-largest defence budget in South Asia. The Bangladeshi military is also the 35th strongest in the world and the third most powerful military force in South Asia.[2] Border Guard Bangladesh and Bangladesh Coast Guard is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs[3] during peacetime, but during wartime, they fall under the command of the Bangladesh Army and the Bangladesh Navy, respectively.

Military policy is formulated and executed by the Armed Forces Division (AFD), whereas the Ministry of Defence (MoD) does not exercise any operational or policy authority over the Armed Forces. Since independence, the AFD and MoD have been led by the Prime Minister. To coordinate military policy with foreign and intelligence policy, both the President and the Prime Minister are advised by a six-member advisory board, which consists of the three military services Chiefs of Staff, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, and Military secretaries to the President and the Prime Minister. The directors-general of the NSI, the DGFI, and the BGB also serve in an advisory capacity when invited.[4][5]

Armed Forces Day is observed on 21 November and commemorates the founding of the three services of the Armed Forces, who subsequently initiated a joint military operation against the occupying Pakistani Armed Forces during the Bangladesh Liberation War.[6][7] Official functions are held across the country, including at Bangabhaban, the Armed Forces Division Headquarters at Dhaka Cantonment, all military cantonments, and at every military installation throughout Bangladesh.[8]

History

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East Pakistan

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". With the partitioning of India on 15 August 1947, the territory constituting modern Bangladesh was partitioned from the province of Bengal as East Bengal which joined Pakistan. Ethnic and sectional discrimination prevailed in various sectors of the state. Like other government sectors, Bengalis were under-represented in the Pakistani military too. Officers of Bengali origin in different wings of the armed forces made up just 5% of the entire military by 1965.[9] West Pakistanis believed that Bengalis were not "martially inclined" unlike Pashtuns and Punjabis; the "Martial Races" notion was dismissed as ridiculous and humiliating by Bengalis.[9] Moreover, despite huge defence spending, East Pakistan received none of the benefits, such as contracts, purchasing and military support jobs. The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 over Kashmir also highlighted the sense of military insecurity among Bengalis as only an under-strength infantry division and 15 combat aircraft without tank support were in East Pakistan to repel any Indian attack during the conflict.[10][11]

The East Bengal Regiment was formed on 15 February 1948 following Pakistan's independence and transition from post British rule, composed exclusively of men from the western part of the country. The first East Bengal Regiment was composed of Bengali members of the British Indian Army Pioneer Corps and Bihar Regiment of the abolished British-Indian army. Between 1948 and 1965, a total of eight battalions of EBR were raised.[12][13]

Bangladesh War of Independence

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File:March71.PNG
Location of Bengali and Pakistani military units in March 1971
File:Bangladesh Military Museum - 3.7 inch howitzer.jpg
QF 3.7-inch mountain howitzers used by the Mukti Bahini

Following the victory of the Awami League in the 1970 elections, then-president General Yahya Khan refused to appoint its leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the prime minister and launched a brutal attack named Operation Searchlight on the Bengali nationalists of the then East Pakistan, using the Pakistan Army to repress political movements.[14] The number of people killed by Pakistani forces vary from a minimum of around 300,000 to a maximum of around 3 million.[15][16] Responding to Mujib's call for rebellion, many students, workers and other civilians mutinied against Pakistan and raised the Mukti Bahini, a guerrilla force. Later on, many Bengali officers and units from the Pakistan Army and East Pakistan Rifles mutinied against their West Pakistani counterparts and joined the Mukti Bahini.[17][18][19] On 17 April 1971, M. A. G Osmani took oath as the commander-in-chief of Mukti Bahini. While the war raged on, the necessity of a well-trained armed force was always felt. During the first Bangladesh Sector Commanders Conference, held from 11 to 17 July 1971, the Bangladesh Forces started its journey composed of the revolting Bengali members of the Pakistan Army and EPR.[20] In this historic conference the field command structure, sector reorganization, reinforcement, appointment of field commanders and tactics of warfare were decided upon and carried out. On 21 November 1971, the Bangladesh Forces was divided into three separate services as Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force.

The Bangladesh Forces received modest assistance from the Indian Government soon after the start of the war, On 3 December 1971, the India-Pakistan war broke out and Indian troops entered Bangladesh allied with the Bangladesh Armed Forces.[21] On 16 December 1971, the Pakistani military surrendered to the joint Indian and Bangladesh forces.[22]

Post-independence

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The newly formed Bangladeshi armed forces incorporated some of the units and guerrillas of the Mukti Bahini.[23] Gen. Osmani, who had led the Mukti Bahini was appointed the General of the Bangladesh armed forces.[24] For many years, there was active discrimination in favour of the inductees from the Mukti Bahini against those Bengali officers who had continued service in the Pakistani armed forces or had been detained in West Pakistan.[23][25] A group of angered officers assassinated the president Sheikh Mujib on 15 August 1975 and established a regime with politician Khondaker Mostaq Ahmed as President of Bangladesh and new army chief Maj. Gen. Ziaur Rahman.[25] The military itself was subject of divisions as Mujib's assassins were overthrown by the pro-Mujib Brig. Gen. Khaled Mosharraf on 3 November, who himself was soon overthrown by a socialist group of officers under Col. Abu Taher on 7 November who returned Ziaur Rahman to power—an event now called the Sipoy-Janata Biplob (Soldiers and People's Coup).[26] Under the presidency of Ziaur Rahman, the military was reorganised to remove conflicts between rival factions and discontented cadre.[27] However, Ziaur Rahman was himself overthrown in a 1981 coup attempt,[28] and a year later, Lt. Gen. Hossain Mohammad Ershad took power from the elected government of president Abdus Sattar. The military remained the most important force in national politics under the regimes of Ziaur Rahman and later Hossain Mohammad Ershad until democracy was restored in 1991.[27]

Modern period

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File:Bdunmsn3.jpg
Bangladeshi peacekeepers in Darfur, Sudan

Having relied primarily on India and the Soviet Union for military aid, Bangladesh has also developed military ties with the People's Republic of China and the United States. The Bangladesh Army has been actively involved in United Nations Peace Support Operations (UNPSO). During the first Gulf War in 1991, the Bangladesh Army sent a 2,193 member team to monitor peace in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The Bangladesh Army also participated in peace keeping activities in Namibia, Cambodia, Somalia, Uganda, Rwanda, Mozambique, former Yugoslavia, Liberia, Haiti, Tajikistan, Western Sahara, Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Georgia, East Timor, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire and Ethiopia. As of October 2008, Bangladesh remained the second largest contributor with 9,800 troops in the UN Peacekeeping forces.

Until a peace accord was signed in 1997, the Bangladeshi military engaged in counterinsurgency operations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts fighting the Shanti Bahini separatist group. In 2001, Bangladeshi military units engaged in clashes with the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along the northern border.[29]

Several projects and schemes aiming to expand and modernize the Bangladeshi armed forces were launched by the government of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

Forces Goal 2030 was launched by the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to secure new equipment for the Bangladeshi military.

Bangladesh-Myanmar border

Standoffs have occasionally occurred at the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, including in 1991 and 2008. Most of the standoffs took place, when Myanmar attempted to force Rohingyas into Bangladesh. In 2008, the two countries deployed warships after Myanmar attempted to explore a disputed Bay of Bengal seabed for oil and gas. The dispute was resolved at an international tribunal in 2012. Bangladesh and Myanmar have also conducted counter-insurgency operations on the border.

Medals and decorations

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The following are the various gallantry, service and war medals of the Bangladesh Armed Forces.[30]Template:Self-published inline[31]Template:Self-published inline[32]Template:Self-published inline[33][34]Template:Self-published inline

Gallantry awards

Service medals

Current deployments

File:BangladeshMilitaryUN PeacekeepingForce.jpg
Map of Bangladeshi Military UN Peacekeeping Force

Bangladesh has consistently made large contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations. As of May 2007, Bangladesh had major deployments in Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Lebanon, Sudan, Timor-Leste and Côte d'Ivoire.[35] With 10,736 troops deployed, it ranks first in personnel contributions to UN peacekeeping.[36] The government declined to participate in Iraq on a request from the United States. The deployment to Liberia began in October 2003 and has remained at a level of about 3,200 who are participating in peacekeeping, charitable activities and infrastructure development.

Training

Officers are trained and educated for three years at the Bangladesh Military Academy, Bhatiary, Bangladesh Naval Academy at Patenga, both located in Chittagong and Bangladesh Air Force Academy located in Jessore. For advance training during their career, officers are sent to Bangladesh Defence Services Command and Staff College at Mirpur, while senior officers attend the National Defense University for Armed Forces War Course. Many attend the Military Institute of Science and Technology while serving. Officers of the Army Medical Corps are recruited after graduation from both military or civil medical colleges. They undergo basic military training at Bangladesh Military Academy followed by professional training in medical corps centre and Armed Forces Medical Institute. Recently cadets of Armed Forces Medical College also started joining the services directly.[37]

Ranks

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Bangladeshi military ranks, essentially corresponds to those used by the armed forces of the commonwealth nations.

The rank insignia for commissioned officers for the Armed forces respectively.

Template:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/BlankTemplate:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OF/BangladeshTemplate:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Navies/OF/BangladeshTemplate:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Air Forces/OF/BangladeshTemplate:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank

Organization

Name Mission Headquarters
Warfare
File:Roundel of Bangladesh – Army Aviation.svg Bangladesh Army Ground warfare Dhaka Cantonment
File:বাংলাদেশ নৌবাহিনীর মনোগ্রাম.svg Bangladesh Navy Naval warfare
Bangladesh Air Force Aerial warfare
Paramilitary
File:বর্ডার গার্ড বাংলাদেশের মনোগ্রাম.svg Border Guard Bangladesh Maintaining the security of the land border. Pilkhana
File:বাংলাদেশ কোস্ট গার্ডের প্রতীক.svg Bangladesh Coast Guard Maintaining the security of the naval border. Agargaon
Civil and Reserve
File:Bangladesh Police Emblem.svg Bangladesh Police Enforcing and upholding laws nationwide. Fulbari, Dhaka
Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party Preservation of internal security as auxiliary force. Khilgaon
File:Bncc logo.png Bangladesh National Cadet Corps Volunteer reserve and second line of defense for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Sector-6, Uttara
Specialized
File:Insignia of the President Guard Regiment (PGR).svg President Guard Regiment Cavalry regiment for the security of the President. Bangabhaban
File:Insignia of the Special Security Force.svg Special Security Force Provide physical security to anyone designated as VVIP by the government. PMO
Special Operational Combatants
File:Para Commando Brigade (Bangladesh) Formation Sign.svg Para-Commando Brigade Counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, deep-penetration raids, and warfare both domestically and internationally. Jalalabad Cantonment
File:SWADS Naval Commando tab.svg Special Warfare Diving And Salvage Anti-piracy and underwater demolition. BNS Nirvik, Chittagong
File:Bangladesh Army Para Commando sign.svg 41 Squadron Airborne Functions under the directive of PCB and the Air force.
Rapid Action Battalion Conter-terrorism and crackdown of illegal substances. Kurmitola
Armed Police Battalion Form to create a reserve battalion of Bangladesh Police to assist Bangladesh Army in any operation and protecting "KPI" infrastuctures. Uttara

Military districts

  • Savar Area Command
  • Ghatail Area Command,Tangail
  • Bogra Area Command
  • Rangpur Area Command
  • Comilla Area Command
  • Chittagong Area Command
  • Ramu Area Command
  • Jessore Area Command
  • Sylhet Area Command
  • Barisal Area Command
  • Army Training and Doctrine Command
  • Army Logistics Area

Dhaka Cantonment

  • HQ All Military Lands
  • HQ Cantonment Boards
  • HQ's of Bangladesh Army
  • Armed Forces Division (AFD)
  • 46 Independent Infantry Brigade
  • 24 Independent Engineers Brigade
  • 18 Engineers Brigade
  • 6 Air Defence Brigade
  • 14 Army Signal Brigade
  • HQ, President's Guard Regiment
  • Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB)
  • HQ's Armed Forces Medical and Nursing Corps (AFMNC)
  • Central Officer's Record Office (CORO)
  • HQ's Armed Forces Recruiting Centre (AFRC)
  • HQ's Cantonment Public Schools
  • HQ's Armed Forces Library
  • Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP)
  • National Armed Forces Cemetery

Educational and training institutes

Training institutes of Bangladesh Air Force

Training Institutes of Bangladesh Navy

  • Bangladesh Naval Academy (BNA), Chittagong.
  • BNS Shaheed Moazzem, Kaptai, Rangamati Hill District, Chittagong. (For Sailor's Advanced Training)
  • BNS ISA KHAN, Chittagong (Home of 13 Different Training Schools)
  • BNS TITUMIR, Khulna (Home of New Entry Training School (NETS) and School of Logistics and Management (SOLAM))
  • School of Maritime Warfare & Tactics, Chittagong Port.

Army Cantonments

Cantonments are where Bangladesh Army personnel work, train, and live.[41]

Air Force bases

  • BAF Base A.K. Khandokar (Kurmitola, Dhaka)
  • BAF Base Sheikh Hasina (Cox's Bazar)
  • BAF Base Khademul Bashar (Tejgaon,Dhaka)
  • BAF Base Matiur Rahman (Jessore)
  • BAF Base Paharkanchanpur (Tangail)
  • BAF Base Zahurul Haq (Chittagong)

Navy bases

Future modernisation plans

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Bangladesh has made a long term modernisation plan for its Armed Forces named Forces Goal 2030.[43] The plan includes the modernization and expansion of all equipment and infrastructures and providing enhanced training.[43]

Gallery

See also

Notes

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References

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  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Matthew White's Death Tolls for the Major Wars and Atrocities of the Twentieth Century Template:Webarchive
  16. ↑ Virtual Bangladesh : History : The Bangali Genocide, 1971 Template:Webarchive
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Template:Cite Banglapedia
  19. ↑ Template:Cite Banglapedia
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  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Army Medal Lists: Official
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ UN Mission's Summary detailed by Country Template:Webarchive, Monthly Summary of Contributors of Military and Civilian Police Personnel, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, United Nations, 31 May 2007
  36. ↑ Ranking of Military and Police Contributions to UN Operations Template:Webarchive, Monthly Summary of Contributors of Military and Civilian Police Personnel, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, United Nations, 31 May 2007
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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External links

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