Army Brigade for Padma Bridge security

DHAKA, Sept 20: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the armed forces will be build up as an efficient, disciplined, well-equipped strong forces.  

She terming the national armed force as the symbol of the country`s unity and sovereignty saying her government has a very clear and transparent outlook about the armed forces.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing a Prime Minister`s Darbar of members of Bangladesh Army at 20 BIR training ground at Dhaka Cantonment after raising the flag of newly established 99 Composite Brigade.

According to state-run news agency, the Prime Minister said the present government after taking office in 2009 has taken all pragmatic programmes, as best it can, for development of the armed forces.

The efforts for development of the armed forces would continue, she said.

The 99 Composite Brigade has been established comprising 20 Engineering Construction Battalion, 58 East Bengal Regiment and 34 Bangladesh Infantry Regiment to monitor the implementation of the Padma Bridge project and maintain security.

Earlier, the Prime Minister hoisted the flag of the 99 Composite Brigade at a function at Army Aviation Hanger. Communications Minister Obaidul Qader hoisted the flag of 58 East Bengal, PM`s Defense Advisor Major General (retd) Trique Ahmed Siddiqui hoisted flag of 34 BIR and Army Chief General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan hoisted the flag of 20 Engineering Construction Battalion.  

Cabinet members, naval chief Vice Admiral M Farid Habib and air force chief Air Marshal Mohammad Enamul Bari, parliament members and senior civil and military officials were present.

Addressing the Darbar, the Prime Minister said new infantry,armour, artillery, air defence and engineering units are being raised up to strengthen the Bangladesh Army according to Forces Goal-2030.

She said, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had laid the foundation of strong armed forces for independent Bangladesh and formulated the Defense Policy 1974.

Following his footprint, she said, government of Bangladesh Awami League during its tenure from 1996 to 2001 had established many units of the army for its expansion and modernization.

The Prime Minister said sophisticated arms and ammunitions are being procured to enhance effectiveness of the army and turn it into a modern force of global standard. "Necessary reforms and reconstitution of Bangladesh Army will continue in future," she firmly said.

Pointing out the measures taken by her government for welfare of the members of the armed forces, Sheikh Hasina said, the size of donation has been increased to Taka five lakh from two lakh for treatment of the army personnel abroad.

The Prime Minister said the government has taken decision in principle to increase the service length of the army personnel from soldier to major for more two years. Approval was also given for elevating the status of the posts of JCO to first class and sergeants to second class.

She said, the ration-scale for the members of the armed forces has been increased with giving improved diet and supplying rice for lunch instead of wheat. Decision has been taken to give same ration to the soldiers living without families as it is given to the soldiers with families.

She said, for the first time, steps were taken for admission of females in the army medical corps from this year. Very recently, medical dispensary were introduced to provide medicine.

She said her government has already asked the land ministry to allocate 9,000 acres of land at Char Kerring to Bangladesh Army to use for training purposes, while process of handing over Char Jahajjiya is going on.

Side by side, process is going on to hand over 657.17 acre land in Ramu and 997 acre land in Ruma for construction of a full-fledged cantonment, she added.

The Prime Minister said the army was entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the construction of the Padma Bridge and other jobs because of its professional skill.

"Our government always wants to run the country as the servant of the people, not as their ruler," she said.

She extended her thanks to the members of the armed forces for their constant support to implement development programmes of the government.

In her speech the Prime Minister highlighted the country`s socio- economic political situation saying the country has achieved tremendous success in various sectors during the tenure of the present government.

In 2009, the per capita income of the people was US$ 690,which rose to US$ 1,044 now. The size of budget in 2009-2010 fiscal was Taka 1138.19 billion while it`s now stand at Taka 2224.91 billion.

"Bangladesh would be a middle - income country very soon if we can maintain the progress", the Prime Minister said.

Sheikh Hasina urged all to remain careful about the propaganda of a vested section against her government in the name of religion. She said, no party except Awami League did so much works for promotion of Islam.

Army Chief General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan also addressed the Darbar.

 

 

risingbd // smmr