Bangladesh Army

The flag of Bangladesh army

The Bangladesh Army (Bangla:Bānglādesh Shenā Bāhini, ) 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 Liberation War 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 2,50,000 personnel with 50,000 retired reserve personnel.]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 primary mission of the Bangladesh Army is the classic one of defending the nation's territorial integrity against external attack. During wartime, the Bangladesh Army (and its sister services) are responsible for mobilising the nation's resources by assuming direct control over paramilitary and police forces, civilian transportation, and defense industries.

In addition to its primary mission the Bangladesh Army is also constitutionally obligated to assist the civilian government during times of crisis. This role is commonly referred to as “aid to civilian administration”.

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.

Contents

[hide]
  • 1History
  • 1.1Formation during Bangladesh Liberation War 1971
  • 1.2Subsequent history
  • 1.3Coups
  • 1.4Subsequent growth
  • 2Major operations
  • 2.1Bangladesh Liberation War
  • 2.2Chittagong Hill Tracts
  • 2.3Peacetime activities
  • 3Organization
  • 3.1Structure
  • 3.2Branches of Bangladesh Army
  • 3.3List of Chiefs of Army Staff
  • 3.4Ranks
  • 3.4.1Commissioned
  • 3.4.2Junior Commissioned
  • 3.4.3Non Commissioned
  • 4Equipment
  • 4.1Armored Personnel Carriers
  • 4.2Tanks
  • 4.3Infantry weapons
  • 4.4Artillery
  • 4.5Military Vehicles
  • 5See also
  • 6External links
  • 7References

History

A painting of Irregular cavalry of the Bengal Army, 1817.

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 Bangladesh Liberation War 1971

The formation of the Bangladesh Liberation War 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.

Sectors of Bangladesh Liberation War
Sector / Area / Sector Commander / Sub Sector (Commanders)
1 / Chittagong District, Chittagong Hill Tracts, and the entire eastern area of the Noakhali District on the banks of the river Muhuri. The headquarters of the sector was at Harina. / • Major Ziaur RahmanApril 10th '71 - Jun 25th '71
• Major Rafiqul Islam28th Jun '71 - Feb 14th '72 /
  1. Rishimukh (Captain Shamsul Islam);
  2. Sreenagar (Captain Matiur Rahman, Captain Mahfuzur Rahman);
  3. Manughat (Captain Mahfuzur Rahman);
  4. Tabalchhari (Sergeant Ali Hossain); and
  5. Dimagiri (a Sergeant, name unknown).

2 / Districts of Dhaka, Comilla, and Faridpur, and part of Noakhali District. / • Major Khaled MosharrafApril 10th '71 - Sep 22nd '71
• Major ATM HaiderSector Commander Sept 22nd '71 - December 18th '72 (represented Bangladesh at the surrender of the Pakistani Army) /
  1. Gangasagar, Akhaura and Kasba (Mahbub, Lieutenant Farooq, and Lieutenant Humayun Kabir);
  2. Mandabhav (Captain Gaffar);
  3. Shalda-nadi (Abdus Saleq Chowdhury);
  4. Matinagar (Lieutenant Didarul Alam);
  5. Nirbhoypur (Captain Akbar, Lieutant Mahbub); and
  6. Rajnagar (Captain Jafar Imam, Captain Shahid, and Lieutenant Imamuzzaman)

3 / Area between Churaman Kathi (near Sreemangal) and Sylhet in the north and Singerbil of Brahmanbaria in the south. / • Major K M ShafiullahApril 10th '71 - July 21st '72
• Captain ANM NuruzzamanJuly 23rd '71 - Feb 14th '72 /
  1. Asrambari (Captain Aziz, Captain Ejaz);
  2. Baghaibari (Captain Aziz, Captain Ejaz);
  3. Hatkata (Captain Matiur Rahman);
  4. Simla (Captain Matin);
  5. Panchabati (Captain Nasim);
  6. Mantala (Captain MSA Bhuyan);
  7. Vijoynagar (Captain MSA Bhuyan);
  8. Kalachhora (Lieutenant Majumdar);
  9. Kalkalia (Lieutenant Golam Helal Morshed); and
  10. Bamutia (Lieutenant Sayeed)

4 / Area from Habiganj District on the north to Kanaighat Police Station on the south along the 100 mile long border with India. The headquarters of the sector was initially at Karimganj and later at Masimpur. / • Major Chittarajan DattaApril 10th '71 - Feb 14th '72
• Captain A Rab /
  1. Jalalpur (Mahbubur Rab Sadi);
  2. Barapunji (Captain A Rab);
  3. Amlasid (Lieutenant Zahir);
  4. Kukital (Flight Lieutenant Kader, Captain Shariful Haq);
  5. Kailas Shahar (Lieutenant Wakiuzzaman); and
  6. Kamalpur (Captain Enam)

5 / Area from Durgapur to Danki (Tamabil) of Sylhet District and the entire area up to the eastern borders of the district. The headquarters of the sector was at Banshtala. / • Major Mir Shawkat AliApril 10th '71 - Feb 14th '72 /
  1. Muktapur (Sergeant Nazir Hossain, freedom fighter Faruq was second in command);
  2. Dauki (Sergeant Major BR Chowdhury);
  3. Shela (Captain Helal);
  4. Bholajanj (Lieutenant Taheruddin Akhunji);
  5. Balat (Sergeant Ghani, Captain Salahuddin and Enanmul Haq Chowdhury); and
  6. Barachhara (Captain Muslim Uddin).

6 / Rangpur District and part of Dinajpur District. The headquarters of the sector was at Burimari near Patgram. / • Wing Commander M Khademul BasharApril '71 - Feb 14th '72 /
  1. Bhajanpur (Captain Nazrul, Flight Lieutenant Sadruddin and Captain Shahriyar);
  2. Patgram (initially divided between junior commissioned officers of the EPR and later taken hold by Captain Matiur Rahman);
  3. Sahebganj (Captain Nawazesh Uddin);
  4. Mogalhat (Captain Delwar); and
  5. Chilahati (Flight Lieutenant Iqbal)

7 / Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogra and part of Dinajpur District. The headquarters of the sector was at Taranngapur. / • Major Nazmul HaqApril 10th - Aug 20th '71
• Major Kazi NuruzzamanAug 21st - Feb 14th '72
• Subedar Major A Rab /
  1. Malan (initially divided between junior commissioned officers, Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir);
  2. Tapan (initially Major Nazmul Haq, later divided between some commanding officers of the EPR);
  3. Mehdipur (Sageantr Iliyas, later taken hold by Captain Mahiuddin Jahangir);
  4. Hamzapur (Captain Idris);
  5. Anginabad (A Freedom Fighter);
  6. Sheikhpara (Captain Rashid);
  7. Thokrabari (Sargeant Muazzam); and
  8. Lalgola (Captain Gheyasuddin Chowdhury).

8 / In April 1971, the operational area of the sector comprised the districts of Kushtia, Jessore, Khulna, Barisal, Faridpur and Patuakhali. At the end of May the sector was reconstituted and comprised the districts of Kuhstia, Jessore, Khulna, Satkhira and the northern part of Faridpur district. The headquarters of the sector was at Benapole. / • Major Abu Osman ChowdhuryApril 10th - July 17th '71
• Major MA ManzurAug 14th '71 - Feb 14th '72 /
  1. Boyra (Captain Khondakar Nazmul Huda);
  2. Hakimpur (Captain Shafiq Ullah);
  3. Bhomra (Captain Salahuddin, Captain Shahabuddin);
  4. Lalbazar (CaptainAR Azam Chowdhury);
  5. Banpur (Captain Mostafizur Rahman);
  6. Benapole (Captain Abdul Halim, Captain Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury); and
  7. Shikarpur (Captain Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Lieutenant Jahangir).

9 / Barisal, Patuakhali, and parts of the district of Khulna and Faridpur. / • Major M A JalilJuly 17th - Dec 24th 1971
• Major MA Manzur
• Major Joynal Abedin /
  1. Taki;
  2. Hingalganj; and
  3. Shamshernagar.

10 / This sector was constituted with the naval commandos. / • Commander HQ BD ForcesDec 3rd - Dec 16th 1971 / General. M A G Osmani
11 / Mymensingh and Tangail along with parts of Rangpur - Gaibandha, Ulipur, Kamalpur and Chilmari. The headquarters of the sector was at Mahendraganj. / • Major Ziaur Rahman June 27th '71 - Oct 10th '71 • Squadron Leader M. Hamidullah Khan Nov 3rd '71 - Feb 14th '72
Major Abu TaherOct 10 '71 - Nov 2nd '71 [ lost leg in mine blast ] /
  1. Mankarchar (Squadron Leader M. Hamidullah Khan);
  2. Mahendraganj (Major Taher, Lieutenant Mannan);
  3. Purakhasia (Lieutenant Hashem);
  4. Dhalu (Lieutenant Taher, Lieutenant Kamal);
  5. Rangra (Matiur Rahman);
  6. Shivabari ( junior commanding officers of the EPR);
  7. Bagmara ( junior commanding officers of the EPR); and
  8. Maheshkhola (a member of the EPR).

The Bangladesh Armed Forces was organized for Liberation War in 1971 into three brigades.

  • Z force, under Major Ziaur Rahman, consisted of 1, 3 and 8 East Bengal Regiment.
  • S Force, under Major Safiullah, was created in October 1971 and consisted of 2 and 11 East Bengal.
  • K Force, commanded by Khaled Mosharraf was created with 4, 9 and 10 East Bengal.

[edit]Subsequent history

Starting 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 Bangladesh Liberation War.

[edit]Coups

The 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 growth

Following 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 Liberation War

The 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

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (January 2007)

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.

Peacetime activities

Bangladesh 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.