Bangladesh Armed Forces by Sajid Bin Rashid

1. By Sajid Bin Rashid

2. 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.

3. Bangladesh Armed Forces
Motto: "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

4. Medals and decorations
Gallantry 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)

5. Current Deployments
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 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.

6. Training
Officers are trained and educated for two and a half 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 Collegeat 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 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.

7. Ranks
Army Navy Air force Border Guard
Bangladesh
Coast Guard
General Admiral Air Chief Marshal
Lieutenant
General
Vice 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
Major
Lieutenant
Commander
Squadron 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

8. Regular forces

9. 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)

10. Bangladesh Navy
Active: 1971–present
Country: Bangladesh
Allegiance: Constitution of Bangladesh
Branch: Green-water navy
Type: Navy
Part of: Bangladesh Armed Forces
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.

11. Bangladesh Air Force
Active: 1971–present
Country: Bangladesh
Allegiance: Constitution of Bangladesh
Type: Military aviation
Role: Aerial warfare
Part of: Bangladesh Armed Forces
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)

12. Para-military forces

13. 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)

14. Bangladesh Coast Guard
Active: 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

15. Civil forces and reserves

16. Bangladesh Ansar
Active: 1948–present
Country: Pakistan (1948–1971), Bangladesh (1971–present)
Allegiance: Bangladesh
Size: 6.1 million
Garrison/HQ: Gazipur, Bangladesh
Nickname(s): BA
Anniversaries: 26 March

17. Village Defence Party
Active: 1976–present
Country: Bangladesh (1976–present)
Allegiance: Bangladesh
Garrison/HQ: Gazipur, Bangladesh
Nickname(s): BA
Anniversaries: 26 March

18. Bangladesh National Cadet Corps
Abbreviation: 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 .

19. Specialized forces

20. 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

21. 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

22. Special Warfare Diving and Salvage
Active: 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

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. 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)

26. Navy bases
 BNS Haji Mohshin (Dhaka)
 BNS Issa Khan (Chittagong)
 BNS Shaheed Moazzem (Rangamati)
 BNS Titumir (Khulna)
 BNS Ulka (Chittagong)
 BNS Vatiary (Chittagong)

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

28. Bangladesh Army personnel and armoured personnel carrier in
UN peacekeeping mission

29. Army soldiers on active duty in Dhaka

30. Army personnel at Victory Day Parade 2012

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

32. AS365 Dauphin helicopter of Bangladesh Army Aviation Group

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

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

35. Bangladesh Air Force Antonov An-32 (converted bomber)

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

37. THE END