Home ›› 03 Dec 2021 ›› Governance
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday hoped that the Armed Forces personnel would continue to work as “frontline soldiers” in implementing the Perspective Plan-2041.
“I would like to say to the members of our Armed Forces that, you, being imbued with patriotism, will continue to work as ‘frontline soldiers’ in implementing the Perspective Plan-2041, and I hope this,” she said.
The prime minister said this while addressing the Graduation Ceremony of National Defence Course (NDC) and Armed Forces War Course (AFWC)-2021 at Sheikh Hasina Complex of DSCSC in Mirpur Cantonment, joining virtually from Ganabhaban.
“In 2071, the country will celebrate the centenary of our independence (and we have to) move ahead keeping it in mind,” she said.
The prime minister said Bangladesh will never go back (rather) it will move forward to be a hunger-and-poverty-free developed and prosperous ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Sheikh Hasina said the members of the armed forces are always ready for supreme sacrifice in any crisis alongside protecting the country’s sovereignty.
She said they participated in different activities as frontline fighters in facing the Covid-19 pandemic and earned acclamation for their works.
Armed forces personnel have been working sincerely in the infrastructural and socio-economic development of the country along with facing natural disasters aptly, she added.
A total of 88 trainees, including 27 foreign military members, participated in the NDC-2021, while a total of 55 trainees in the AFWC-2021.
So far, 383 members of the Armed Forces from 24 friendly countries have received higher education and training at the NDC.
The prime minister also remotely distributed certificates among the graduates. Chiefs of the three services and the NDC commandant and its faculties were present at the event.
The prime minister said members of armed forces have brightened the image of Bangladesh abroad by extending expertise and maintaining dedication in Peace Building and Peace Enforcement, including meeting the challenges of UN Peacekeeping Missions.
She said Bangladesh has once again been able to retain its glorious position as the highest peacekeeper sending country. In this connection, Sheikh Hasina said her government’s endeavour is to provide time befitting training and modern equipment to the members of armed forces so they can run their activities in keeping pace with the developed world.
She said they have added the modern infantry gazette, state-of-the-art weapons, aircraft and helicopters, various modern engineering equipment, sky-destroying automatic SHORAD, VSHORAD, state-of-the-art Oerlikon air Defence systems, etc to the armed forces.
She continued the Navy has state-of-the-art corvettes, frigates, submarines, and maritime helicopters and formed the SWADS as a specialised force. “In addition, we are building new naval and submarine bases,” she said.
She went on saying that state-of-the-art fighter jets, transport aircraft, helicopters, high-powered air Defence radar, and surface-to-air missiles are also included in the Air Force.
The prime minister said her government has established Aviation and Aerospace University and built the Forward Aviation Base and the Air Defence Notification Center. “In addition, we have transformed CMHs across the country into state-of-the-art hospitals alongside five medical colleges,” she said.
