Bangladesh Armed Forces

By Sajid Bin Rashid

The Bangladesh Armed Forces consists of the three uniformed military

services of Bangladesh: the Bangladesh Army, the Bangladesh Navy and

the Bangladesh Air Force. The Armed Forces Day is observed on 21

November. Official functions are held at "Bangabhaban", Dhaka, "Armed

Forces Division Headquarters", Dhaka Cantonment, and at every military

installation throughout the country.

Bangladesh Armed ForcesMotto: "Ever High is My Head“

Founded: 4 April 1971 (as Mukti Bahini) , 21 November 1971 (Official)

Current form: 12 January 1972

Service branches: Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force

Headquarters: Dhaka Cantonment

Commander-in-Chief: President of Bangladesh

Leader of Armed Forces Division: Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Medals and decorationsGallantry awards:

1. Bir Sreshtho (The Most Valiant Hero)

2. Bir Uttom (Better among Braves)

3. Bir Bikrom (Valiant hero)

4. Bir Protik (Symbol of Bravery or Idol of Courage)

Service Medals:

1. Order of Military Merit

2. Jestha Padak I (10 years service)

3. Jestha Padak II (20 years service)

4. Jestha Padak III (30 years service)

Current DeploymentsBangladesh 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 Cote

d'Ivoire. With 10,736 troops deployed, it ranks first in personnel contributions to

UN peacekeeping. 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 3200 who are participating in peacekeeping,

charitable activities and infrastructure development.

TrainingOfficers are trained and educated for two and a half years at the BangladeshMilitary Academy, Bhatiary, Bangladesh Naval Academy at Patenga, both locatedin Chittagong and Bangladesh Air Force Academy located in Jessore. Foradvance training during their career, officers are sent to Bangladesh DefenceServices Command and Staff Collegeat Mirpur, while senior officers attend theNational Defense University for Armed Forces War Course. Many attend theMilitary Institute of Science and Technology while serving. Officers of the ArmyMedical Corps are recruited after graduation from civil medical colleges. Theyundergo basic military training at Bangladesh Military Academy followed byprofessional training in medical corps centre and Armed Forces MedicalInstitute. Recently cadets of Armed Forces Medical College also started joiningthe services directly.

RanksArmy Navy Air force Border Guard

Bangladesh

Coast Guard

General Admiral Air Chief Marshal

Lieutenant

GeneralVice Admiral Air Marshal

Major General Rear Admiral Air Vice Marshal Major General Rear Admiral

Brigadier General Commodore Air Commodore Brigadier General Commodore

Colonel Captain Group Captain Colonel Captain

Lieutenant Colonel Commander Wing Commander Lieutenant Colonel Commander

MajorLieutenant

CommanderSquadron Leader Major

Lieutenant

Commander

Captain Lieutenant Flight Lieutenant Captain Lieutenant

Lieutenant Sub Lieutenant Flying Officer Lieutenant Sub Lieutenant

Second Lieutenant Midshipman Pilot Officer Second Lieutenant Midshipman

Gentleman Cadet Officer Cadet Flight Cadet

Regular forces

Bangladesh Army Active: 26 March 1971–present

Country: Bangladesh

Allegiance: Constitution of Bangladesh

Type: Army

Part of: Bangladesh Armed Forces

Army Headquarters: Dhaka Cantonment

Nickname(s): BA/BD Army

Motto(s): "In War, In Peace We are Everywhere for our Country"

Colors: Black, Green

March: Chol Chol Chol

Anniversaries: Armed Forces Day (21 November)

Bangladesh NavyActive: 1971–present

Country: Bangladesh


Branch: Green-water navy

Type: Navy


Army Headquarters: NHQ, Banani, Dhaka

Nickname(s): BN

Patron: The President of Bangladesh

Motto(s): In War and Peace Invincible at Sea

Colors: White, Blue

March: Chol Chol Chol

Anniversaries: 26 March , 7 November.

Bangladesh Air ForceActive: 1971–present

Country: Bangladesh


Type: Military aviation

Role: Aerial warfare


Army Headquarters: Dhaka Cantonment

Nickname(s):BAF

Patron: The President of Bangladesh

Motto(s): Free shall we keep the sky of Bangladesh

Colors: Light Sky, Deep sky

Anniversaries: Armed Forces Day (21 November)

Para-military forces

Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB)Active: 1795–present

Allegiance: Bangladesh

Branch: Border guards

Type: Paramilitary

Size: 67,000

BGB HQ: Pilkhana

Nickname(s): BGB

Patron: President

Anniversaries: 26 March

Country: East India Company(1795-1873), British India (1873–1947 ),

Pakistan (1947 –1971), Bangladesh (1971–present)

Bangladesh Coast GuardActive: 1995 – present

Country: Bangladesh

Allegiance: Constitution of the People's republic of Bangladesh

Branch: Coast Guard

Size: 3,339 personnel, 63 Ships

Coast Guard Directorate General: Dhaka, Bangladesh

Nickname(s): BCG

Motto(s): "Guardian at Sea"

Anniversaries: 12 December

Civil forces and reserves

Bangladesh AnsarActive: 1948–present

Country: Pakistan (1948–1971), Bangladesh (1971–present)


Size: 6.1 million

Garrison/HQ: Gazipur, Bangladesh

Nickname(s): BA


Village Defence PartyActive: 1976–present

Country: Bangladesh (1976–present)


Garrison/HQ: Gazipur, Bangladesh

Nickname(s): BA


Bangladesh National Cadet CorpsAbbreviation: BNCC

Country: Bangladesh

Formation: 23 March 1979

Type: Para-military Voluntary Reserve Defence Force

Headquarters: Sector#06, Uttara, Dhaka-1230

Official language: Bangla, English

Motto(s): Knowledge, Discipline, Unity

Formerly called: UTC, UOTC, JCC .

Specialized forces

President Guard Regiment (President's Office)

Active: 1982 – Present

Country: Bangladesh

Allegiance: People's Republic of Bangladesh

Type: Security

Role: Protection of the President and VVIPs as per state protocol

Size: One Regiment

Garrison/HQ: Dhaka Cantonment

Nickname(s): PGR

Anniversaries: 5 July

Special Security Force(Prime Minister's Office)

Formed: June 15, 1986

Headquarters: SSF Headquarters, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Motto: "ALLAH IS THE BEST PROTECTOR"

Annual budget: Confidential

Parent agency: Parent agency

Special Warfare Diving and SalvageActive: 2009 - Present (Official creation)

Country: Bangladesh

Branch: Bangladesh Navy

Type Special Operations Force SEALS / UDT

Size: Classified

Part of: Bangladesh Special Operational Commands

Garrison/HQ: Chittagong

Nickname(s)SWADS

Motto(s)In War and Peace Invincible at Sea

Training institutes of Bangladeshi Air Force

Bangladesh Air Force Academy (BAFA), Jessore. Flying Instructors School (FIS), Bogra. Command and Staff Training Institute (CSTI), Dhaka. Flight Safety Institute (FSI), Dhaka. Officers' Training School (OTS), Jessore. Aero-Medical Institute (AMI), Dhaka. Fighter Controller Training Unit (FCTU), Dhaka. School of Physical Fitness (SOPF), Dhaka. Recruits Training School (RTS), Chittagong. Training Wing (TW), Chittagong. Mechanical Transport Driving School (MTDS), Shamsher

Nagar.

Training Institutes of Bangladesh Navy

Bangladesh Naval Academy (BNA), Chittagong.

BNS Shaheed Moazzem, Kaptai, Rangamati HillDistrict, Chittagong. (For Sailor's Advanced Training)

BNS ISA KHAN, Chittagong (Home of 13 DifferentTraining Schools)

BNS TITUMIR, Khulna (Home of New Entry TrainingSchool (NETS) and School of Logistics andManagement (SOLAM))

School of Maritime Warfare & Tactics, ChittagongPort.

Air Force Bases

BAF Base Bangabandhu (Dhaka)

BAF Base Cox's Bazar (Cox's Bazar)

BAF Base Khademul Bashar (Dhaka)

BAF Base Matiur Rahman (Jessore)

BAF Base Paharkanchanpur (Tangail)

BAF Base Zahurul Haq (Chittagong)

Navy bases BNS Haji Mohshin (Dhaka)

BNS Issa Khan (Chittagong)

BNS Shaheed Moazzem (Rangamati)

BNS Titumir (Khulna)

BNS Ulka (Chittagong)

BNS Vatiary (Chittagong)

Bangladesh Army personnel unloading boxes of food for cyclone victims at Barisal

Bangladesh Army personnel and armoured personnel carrier in UN peacekeeping mission

Army soldiers on active duty in Dhaka

Army personnel at Victory Day Parade 2012

Bangladesh Army's main battle tanks at Victory Day Parade 2012

AS365 Dauphin helicopter of Bangladesh Army Aviation Group

Bangladesh navy frigate BNS Somudra Joy (F-28) at Pearl Harbor in 2013

Bangladesh Navy frigate and OPV at Exercise CARAT 2012 conducted by US Pacific Fleet

Bangladesh Air Force Antonov An-32 (converted bomber)

Lockheed C-130B military transport aircraft of Bangladesh Air Force

THE END

Education

Bangladesh Armed Forces