ZCZC
BSS-07
PM-BMA-PARADE 2 LAST CHITTAGONG
Reminding the newly-commissioned officers that they’re the children of this country and an integral part of the people, the premier said they’ll have to be an equal partner of weal and woes, and laughing and crying of the mass people.
“They’ll have to stand beside the periled people during any disaster and bad time,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the members of Bangladesh Army are playing an important role in constructing shelter centres for the Rohingya people, distributing relief in a disciplined way and preparing identity cards for them.
Besides, she said, they demonstrated their efficiency in constructing roads and infrastructures in remote hilly areas as well as highways, bridges, flyovers in different parts of the country including Dhaka, and preparing voter list and machine readable passport.
The prime minister said Bangladesh Army was born through the great Liberation War in 1971. “Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman framed a defence policy in 1974 to build a strong and trained army suitable for an independent country,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu took initiatives for establishing a world-standard military academy in Bangladesh alongside infrastructural development of different cantonments.
“He (Bangabandhu) inaugurated Bangladesh Military Academy in Comilla Cantonment in 1974,” she said.
The prime minister said her government has formulated the Forces Goal-2030 in the light of the farsighted defence policy of Bangabandhu. “We’ve increased the capability of Bangladesh Army to a great extent over the last nine years side by side with its infrastructural change,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said her government during 1996-2001 tenure established important institutions like the National Defence College, Military Institute of Science and Technology, Armed Forces Medical College, Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training and NCO’s Academy alongside new brigades, units and battalions.
During the period, she said, APC, ARV, battle tanks, armoured recovery vehicles, helicopters and other necessary equipment were purchased for raising the operational capacity of the army.
The prime minister said today’s army is completely different in infrastructural, and technological side than the army of one decade ago. “Today’s army is more developed, efficient and all-round in coordination of modern training and equipment,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has been working to turn Bangladesh Military Academy into a modern and international-standard one. Bangabandhu Complex has already been constructed with all sorts of modern indoor training facilities for the cadets, she said.
The premier said four-year honours and engineering degree course has been introduced in this academy, while the tenure of obtaining commission by the cadets has been increased to three years from two years.
“This initiative will play an epoch-making role in building a trained and modern army,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said today is a memorable day for the BMA as the trainers for the first time is going to obtain commission as lieutenant after ending the three-year tenure.
“At this happy moment, I extend my heartiest good wishes and congratulations to all fresh officers,” she said.
The prime minister also reiterated her determination to build Bangladesh as middle income country by 2021 and developed and prosperous one by 2041.
“Bangladesh is advancing and would move further … We want to advance keeping our head high, not begging to other,” she said.
BSS/SH/OF/1355hrs