PM Declares BGB ‘Three-Dimensional Force’

On Sunday, Prime Minister Sheik Hasina declared Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) a three-dimensional force following the induction of two helicopters, Bir Shreshtha Nur Mohammad and Bir Shreshtha Abdur Rouf, UNB reports.

"We're celebrating Mujib Barsha. In this Mujib Barsha, BGB got two helicopters. This is also a matter of pride. I'm declaring BGB a three-dimensional force; BGB is now a three-dimensional force," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing the program for the induction of two MI-171E helicopters into the BGB Air Wing. The program was conducted at the headquarters of the BGB, Pilkhana. Virtually from her official residence in Ganobhaban, she attended the program.

She asked the personnel of the BGB to maintain the goodwill of force by conducting their duties with honesty and confidence imbued with patriotism.

"Let this force to be built as the best force," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that the government wanted to make all forces of the country capable to go with the other forces across the globe.

She said that BGB protects the border of the country which is a huge task for them.

"For this, the government will do whatever this force needs," she said.

The Prime Minister said that to make the BGB a modern and time-befitting border force, the government has taken massive reforms and development programmes.

She mentioned that the government has passed the BGB Act-2010 and to make it a world standard modern boarder guard force the government has taken plans to formulate 'Border Guard Bangladesh Vision-2041'.

"Now, BGB is a very much skilled, well-organized and dynamic force," she said.

She said that to improve the operational capability of the BGB, the government has completed huge development works and many others will be finished soon.

Govt to recruit 15,000 BGB troopers

She said that there is a plan to recruit 15,000 more members in the force which will be implemented in three steps. In the first step, there will a regional headquarter with 4,282 personnel, one K-9 unit, one regional intelligence bureau, one station headquarters, one guard police battalion.

These activities will be completed by 2022.  

In the second phase, she said, there will be a field, five battalions, one reserve battalion, one K-9 unit and a training center with 5,782 members and an increase in personnel for five border guard hospitals under consideration.

She said that the purchase of two ultra-modern fast craft, seven ocean-going ultra-modern high-speed boats, two marinas and two trailers are underway.

The Prime Minister said that at the meeting of the ECNEC held on 22 September, the Government approved the construction of a further 73 new composite BOPs. This would have a positive effect on the morale of the troops, apart from increasing the operating ability of the BGB several times.

Speaking of the unwanted incident that took place in this force, she said that the government did not want such an incident to happen again.

"Many lives were lost. Those who were involved in this kind of incident caused loss for themselves, the force and the country," she said.

She hoped that this kind of incident will not happen again in future.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Senior Secretary of Public Security Division of Ministry of Home Affairs Mostafa Kamal Uddin and BGB Director General Major General Md Shafeenul Islam also spoke at the programme from Pilkhana.