The government plans major upgrades to the navy and air force with advanced warships, fighter jets and missile defence systems.
Government Unveils Tk86,000 Crore Plan to Modernise Bangladesh Army Over Next Decade
Dhaka, July 10: The government has laid out a decade-long plan to modernise the Bangladesh Army at a cost of nearly Tk86,000 crore, alongside sweeping upgrades to the navy and air force, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman told parliament on Tuesday.
Rahman disclosed the plans in written replies to two separate questions in the National Assembly, describing the overhaul as central to safeguarding the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security.
Army to receive tanks, missile systems and drones
Responding to a question from MP Masum Mostafa, Rahman said the government has adopted a three-year plan followed by a seven-year programme to strengthen the army’s combat capability.
The plan includes new tanks and armoured fighting vehicles to bolster ground warfare capacity, along with modern artillery, rocket systems, anti-tank weapons and short- to medium-range air defence systems.
The army will also expand its intelligence and surveillance capabilities through the induction of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), counter-UAV systems and advanced surveillance technology, Rahman said. Strategic mobility will be improved through expanded air assault capability, troop and equipment transport, and riverine operations.
The government additionally plans to build strategic stockpiles of artillery ammunition, MLRS rockets, tank ammunition and anti-tank guided missiles to sustain long-term combat operations, according to the written reply.
Navy to add submarines and frigates, air force to induct fighter jets
The Bangladesh Navy’s modernisation plan includes the acquisition of modern frigates, corvettes, offshore patrol vessels and submarines, Rahman said. The government also plans to induct unmanned naval platforms, establish new bases, upgrade existing facilities and expand domestic shipbuilding capacity.
For the air force, Rahman said the “Forces Goal 2030” programme will bring in fourth-generation multirole combat aircraft, attack helicopters, VIP helicopters, anti-drone systems, UAVs, electronic warfare systems, medium-range surface-to-air missile systems and long-range radar.
He said work has already begun on a UAV manufacturing plant in Bogura through a technology transfer arrangement, and that advanced air defence and surveillance systems would be deployed on a fast-track basis given their strategic importance.
Push for a domestic ‘Made in Bangladesh’ defence industry
In a separate reply to NCP MP Akhter Hossen, Rahman said the government is developing a national defence industrial policy to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers and build long-term self-sufficiency.
The plan includes setting up dedicated Defence Industrial Zones, with one already planned for Mirsarai, and expanding domestic production of equipment such as fuses and primers, assault rifles, anti-tank guided missiles, bulletproof vests and helmets.
Rahman said the government is also promoting collaboration between universities, research institutions, industry and the armed forces to strengthen defence technology research, and is expanding training programmes to build a pipeline of skilled engineers, scientists and technologists. Technology transfer partnerships with friendly countries remain part of the strategy, he added.
The Tk86,000 crore estimate covers army modernisation alone over the next 10 years; separate costs for the navy, air force and industrial base initiatives were not itemised in the replies.
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