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The Bangladesh Army (Bangla:Bānglādesh Shenā Bāhini, বাংলাদেশ সেনাবাহিনী) is the land forces branch of the Military of Bangladesh. It was formed on 15 April 1971 following the oath of the Bangladesh Government at Meherpur, Kushtia during Bangladesh War of Independence under the Bangladesh Forces originally consisting of Bengali soldiers and officers who defected from the Pakistan Army. Its current strength is estimated to be over 200 000 personnel.[citation needed]there is also a large number of civil workers and now-a-days Bangladesh army is trying to improve their weapons, armour, equipment and manpower by creating new Units, Battalions and by buying new weapons. The Bangladesh Army structure is similar to many armies of the Commonwealth Nations. However, major changes have undergone following the adoption of U.S. Army tactical planning procedures, training management techniques and noncommissioned officer educational systems. It is supported by artillery, medical, engineers, nurses, armored and combat corps. In times of war and crisis, the Bangladesh Army can also be reinforced by the Bangladesh Rifles, Ansar, Village Defense Parties (VDP), and other land forces numbering about one million trained personnel. It has specialized its peacekeeping operations capabilities around the world through participation in peacekeeping and nation building. It has created BIPSOT(Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training) which is dedicated to training of peacekeepers for employment in all types of UNPSO (UN Peace Support Operations). This institute fulfills the requirement of UNDPKO as per General Assembly resolution which outlines ‘the necessity and responsibility of every nation to train their armed forces before any deployment’. The U.S. Military has taken keen interest and participating in this area.
[edit] History
With Bengal as the principal post of English rule and trade for most of its entire Raj Colonial rule in the sub-continent, East Bengal under the British Rule was a prominent place for British military and police recruitment, when entire horse-mounted, cavalry and lancer units were named after Bengal, especially prior to the Bengal Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Since which time the worst violations of human rights by the British landed upon the Bengali's. After the First War of Independence, native Bengalis were forbidden from enjoying basic freedoms among many others including from entering military service citing the "martial races theory", primarily because majority of them were involved in the revolt against the British. In fact later the units called Bengal Lancers and Bengal Cavalry were often recruited from non-Bengali races. [edit] Formation during War of Independence 1971The formation of the Bangladesh War of Independence undertook at the Sector Commanders Conference held in the week of July 11-17th, 1971. It was of extreme historical significance and tactical consequence. This conference was mainly in significance of command structuring of Bangladesh Forces, sector reorganization and reinforcement. This conference was equally presided over by the Bangladesh interim government in exile Prime Minister Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed and General Osmani, during which the retired Colonel was promoted and reinstated as active duty into the armed forces of Bangladesh as its senior most official. General M A G Osmani was thereby appointed Commander in Chief of all Bangladesh Forces. Principal participants of this conference was Squadron Leader M.Hamidullah Khan, Major Ziaur Rahman, Wing Commander Bashar, Major Jalil, Captain Haider, Lt. Col. Abdur Rab and Group Captain A.K.Khandaker. Lt.Col Rab was appointed as Chief of Army Staff, Squadron Leader Hamidullah was assigned to the largest guerilla training camp of the liberation war at Chakulia, Bihar, as the Chief Military Representative of the Bangladesh government in exile and Group Captain Khandaker as Deputy Chief of Armed Forces. The preliminary preparation for the creation of the Bangladesh Air Force was also initiated with Khandakar to be its first chief. In this meeting, Bangladesh was divided into Eleven Sectors under Sector Commanders. The 10th Sector was directly placed under Commander in Chief and included the Naval Commandos as C-in-C’s special force.[1] Sector Commanders directed the guerrilla warfare. For better efficiency in military operations each of the sectors were divided into a number of sub-sectors. On November 21, 1971 Bangladesh Liberation Force handed over the full command and authority of its operations to the Indian armed forces to command the war. The table below provides a list of the sectors along with the area under each of them, the names of the sector commanders and the names of sub-sectors.
The Bangladesh Armed Forces was organized for Liberation War in 1971 into three brigades.
[edit] Subsequent historyStarting with a nucleus of Bengali deserters from the Pakistan Army-- paramilitary personnel, police, and civilians who had fought with the Mukti Bahini--the Bangladesh Army has expanded considerably although erratically since its formation on December 26, 1971. Between 1973 and 1975, the army absorbed many of the 28,000 personnel who had been detained in Pakistani jails for the duration of the war of independence. [edit] CoupsThe Bangladesh Army was involved in bloody upheaval of existing governments twice - once in 1975 when couple of major(their leader was major Faruque) overthrew the Mujibur Rehman government and in 1982 when Gen Manjur killed President Ziaur Rahman but he failed to overthrough his government. 1 million people attend President Ziaur Rahman's namaja janaja(muslim death ceremony. Still President Ziaur Rahman is considered most populer President of Bangladesh. Three months after President Ziaur Rahman's death Gen. Ershad took power with a bloodless coup. [edit] Subsequent growthFollowing the 1975 coup, additional personnel were absorbed into the regular army when the martial law government abolished the Jatiyo Rakkhi Bahini. Under Zia's rule, army expansion slowed, in part because of his campaign to purge mutinous elements and collaborators from the ranks. When Ershad assumed power in 1982, army strength had stabilized at about 70,000 troops. Starting in 1985, Ershad accelerated the transition from martial law to elected civilian government. The army then experienced another spurt in growth. As of mid-1988, it had about 90,000 troops (although some observers believed the number was closer to 80,000), triple the 1975 figure.[1] Zia reorganized the army following the military upheavals of the mid-1970s, in part to prevent coups and jawan uprisings. Under Zia's program, the reorganization was intended to neutralize rival factions of freedom fighters and repatriates. Bangladesh was divided into five military regions. The army--cooperating with civilian authorities while maintaining autonomy--preserved internal security and resisted possible Indian domination. Divisions coordinated their operations with paramilitary groups in their respective areas of command, and they mobilized mass support of the government.[1] [edit] Major operations[edit] Bangladesh War of Independence 1971The people of Bengal fighting to gain independence dates back into history beginning in the middle of the 19th Century to the mid-twentieth century, during when the land of Bengal was divided and united a number of times for numerous politico-social reasons, principally based on religious and class lines. With the British exiting the sub-continent during mid-20th century, the birth of two newly formed nations India and Pakistan took effect. Pakistan was divided into two sections along religious lines, East Pakistan and West Pakistan, but there were major cultural differences between these two divisions, reminiscent of the entire subcontinent. Since Independence, a major human right issue among the two sides was brewing. The issue of Bengali and not Urdu as the major national language at least in East Pakistan if not entire Pakistan, as Bengali's were majority of the Pakistani population but lay on the eastern side. All animosities and disagreements broke out in the streets of East Pakistan, against the establishment of Urdu as the national language. A number of university students including activists involved were shot by government forces.[2] This incident sparked a major division among the two peoples of the West and East Pakistan from which arose mass political uprisings and change in attitude of the common Bengali folk. Within two decades, by 1970, elections had taken place in entire Pakistan (both divisions) as to decide the future of the country. East Pakistan, winning the majority of the votes were not allowed to convene in the national parliament and transit to form a national government. Reconciliation and unity pledges did not materialise, and before any attempts to break the stalemate was initiated, a massive military buildup went underway. A brutal crackdown upon the local Bengali population was executed by the national military with wanton torture, rape and murder. The Bengali population rose to the challenge with the call from its most fiery, authoritative and charismatic leader Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujib on March 26, which was further reiterated by a declaration made by Major Ziaur Rahman on Mujib's behalf through radio in Chittagong on March 27. The nations independence was declared on March the 26th 1971 and from then on was to be officially known as Bangladesh. A fierce guerilla war broke out throughout the nation, with heavy fighting in some areas. This sparked the beginning of a second mass but slow migration of Hindu's into India that lasted through into the nineties. About 3 million ethnic Bengalis [claimed by Government of Bangladesh], including ordinary citizens, were killed. On November 21, 1971 Bangladesh government in exile at Calcutta, India, handed over the full command and authority of all Bangladesh Forces and their operations to the Indian armed forces. The Pakistani army on December 16, 1971 surrendered itself to the Indian army. The Indian army remained on Bangladesh soil until March 19th, 1972. [edit] Chittagong Hill Tracts
The Bangladesh Army has been involved in protecting the area of CHT Chittagong Hill Tracts from deep rooted insurgencies mounted by the Shanti Bahini, a militant terrorist group known as the Shanti Bahini. The Shanti Bahini who demands exclusive rights over their fellow Bengali citizens, has been fighting this insurgency in the (CHT) since 1976. However, the situation has greatly improved, as major education, house building, irrigation and other macroeconomic initiatives has undergone. This led to an international peace accord witnessed by the UN was signed between the Government and representatives of the Shanti Bahini in 1997. Army deployment has been significantly reduced in the once deep forests of CHT where most of the grouping was planned and initiated. With increase of local government participation in the area, peace and stability has been continuous, whereas destruction of property, human rights violation, killings and torture of Bengalis, once a common phenomenon by the Shanti Bahini has greatly reduced. Many Shanti Bahini were captured and tried while many escaped into bordering India. The UNDP, UNHCR including other international NGO's are engaged in human development projects in the area. [edit] Peacetime activitiesBangladesh Army has been actively involved in United Nations Peace Support Operations (UNPSO). This was initiated by the then elected President of Bangladesh Lt. General Hossain Mohammad Ershad much to the criticism of many. During the first Gulf War in 1991, the Bangladesh Army sent a 2,193 member team to monitor peace in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Following that, the Bangladesh Army 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 February 2008, Bangladesh remained the largest contributor with 11,200 troops in the UN Peacekeeping forces. Today Bangladesh Army is one of the top foreign currency earners because of this initiative by the former President Hossain Mohammad Ershad. [edit] Organization[edit] StructureToday the Bangladesh Army has 7 Infantry Divisions with 19 Infantry brigades deployed around the country. It has one armoured division, one artillery division, one engineer division, one commando brigade, one independent Air-defence Artillery brigade and eleven aviation squadrons.[4] The Army also has a division for Training and Doctrinal policy formulation and conduct, named the ATDC (Army Training and Doctrine Command) Division. In addition the Army has a number of training institutions spread all over the country that supplement it's fighting strength. The army is divided into the following corps:
[edit] Branches of Bangladesh ArmyQuarter Master General Branch---- Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Choudhury, ndc, psc is the present Quarter Master General of Bangladesh Army. Adjutant General Branch---- Major General Motiur Rahman, ndu, psc (AG) is the present Adjutant General of Bangladesh Army. Master General of Ordnance Branch---- Major General Anup Kumar Chakma, ndc, psc is the present Master General of Ordnance of Bangladesh Army. General Staff Branch----- Major General Sina Ibn Jamali, awc, psc is the present chief of General Staff of Bangladesh Army. Military Secretary's Branch---- Major General Shafiqul Islam, ndc, psc is the present Military Secretary of Bangladesh Army. Engineer in Chief Branch---- Major General is the present Engineer in Chief of Bangladesh Army. Judge Advocate General Branch---- Brigadear General Chief of Army Staff The Chief of Army Staff (CAS) is the professional head of the Bangladesh Army. He is also regarded as the seniormost defence official in the armed services by rank. The current CAS is General Moeen U Ahmed, who was appointed on June 15 2005. [edit] List of Chiefs of Army Staff
[edit] Ranks[edit] CommissionedThe rank structure of the Bangladesh Army is modeled along the armies of the Commonwealth Nations. The ranks of Commissioned Officers, and Non Commissioned Officers are (in increasing order)
[edit] Junior Commissioned[edit] Non Commissioned
[edit] Equipment[edit] Infantry weapons
[edit] Armored Personnel Carriers
[edit] Tanks
Additionally, Bangladesh wants to buy Russian tanks in the strength of a regiment, which have upgraded armor protection and engines. [edit] Artillery[edit] Towed Field Artillery
[edit] Self-Propelled Howitzers
[edit] Multiple Rocket Launchers
[edit] Towed Mortars
[edit] See also[edit] External links
[edit] References
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