Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said “martial law” should be dropped from the military lexicon as it has never helped the country or the armed forces.
“We should exclude martial law from military lexicon as it has never helped the country or the armed forces, only resulting in blood baths,” she told the Armed Forces Selection Board Meeting 2020.
The prime minister addressed the virtual meeting from her official Ganabhaban residence on Monday morning.
Sheikh Hasina said a huge number of officers and soldiers of the armed forces were killed in 19 coups that took place during the military rule of Ziaur Rahman.
“Such huge numbers of officers and soldiers don’t even die in a war. we don’t want to hear any more cries of fathers who have lost their sons or sons who have lost their fathers,” she added.
Sheikh Hasina also said the armed forces were most affected by the coups that took place after the August 15, 1975 carnage.
Furthermore, the prime minister reiterated her government’s goal to further modernize the armed forces.
“Our armed forces are the symbol of our independence and sovereignty. Our aim is to make them more modern and we are working towards this goal,” she said.
The prime minister discussed various steps taken by her government to make the armed forces more well-equipped to safeguard the country’s hard-earned independence and sovereignty.
PM’s Security Adviser Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Principal Secretary to Dr Ahmad Kaikaus and Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General Mahfuzur Rahman and PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim were present at Ganabhaban.
Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed virtually attended the function from army headquarters, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Shaheen Iqbal virtually attended from Navy headquarters and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Masihuzzaman Serniabat virtually attended from the Air Force headquarters.
Paying tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the prime minister said Bangabandhu took steps to establish modern armed forces alongside rebuilding the war ravaged country immediately after independence.
“The Father of the Nation enacted a time-befitting defence policy and he wanted to advance the country. But those who were the cohorts of the Pakistani military junta and did not accept the country’s victory in the Liberation War could not value his liberalism,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina, also the elder daughter of Bangabandhu, said the country plunged into ominous darkness on August 15, 1975, due to anti-liberation forces, their conspirators and over-ambitious elements.
“Not only the president, most of his family members were brutally killed by them and the four national leaders who brought victory in the Liberation War by forming the war-time government under the directives of the Father of the Nation were heinously killed in jail on November 3 that year,” she said.
She continued: “I don’t know whether the spot of this stigma will be erased or not. Through these killings, the spirit of the Liberation War was going to be foiled.”
The premier said it is unfortunate that the honour of a victorious nation after being recognized was tarnished by the Bangabandhu’s killers in 1975.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has adopted the Forces Goal-2030 based on Bangabandhu’s defence policy. “Bangabandhu had taken initiatives to build modern armed forces by procuring sophisticated arms and ammunition alongside establishing various institutions,” she said.
The prime minister said her government after assuming office in 1996 established various military establishments, including the NDC War College, and also purchased modern arms and ammunition for the three armed forces, following Bangabandhu’s footprints.
“After coming to power for the second time, we took steps so that the armed forces are capable on all sides. We procured army infantry gadgets, including modern helicopters, to increase army’s operational capacity,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said her government collected a modern frigate for the navy, as well as submarines and military helicopters. “We have turned the navy into a tri-dimensional force,” she said.
Referring to earning huge maritime boundaries, the premier said: “It is a must to build the navy as a time-befitting force to utilise our marine resources. We are continuing our strides so that we can move while keeping pace with the rest of the world.”
Turning to the development of the air force, Sheikh Hasina said her government first inducted the MiG-29 fighter planes into the air force.
“Besides, we procured modern transport planes, air defence radar and missiles,” she said.
The premier pointed out that her government always attaches priority to training, saying that quality training is essential for members of the armed forces.
“We have established an aeronautical centre for higher training of the air force personnel, as well as maintenance of their war equipment,” she said.
About the digitization of the armed forces, Sheikh Hasina said the government set up the Army IT Support Organization and Computer War Games Centre.
“We are making all sorts of modern arrangements for the armed forces,” she said.
The Bangladesh Armed Forces are also playing an excellent role in UN peace keeping missions, the prime minister said,
“We don’t want any member of our armed forces to lag behind, we want all to remain updated and equipped with modern technology and knowledge,” she said.
While talking about the country’s development, Sheikh Hasina requested all concerned to suspend non-essential spending at the moment, keeping in mind how much money can be collected amid the coronavirus pandemic despite the government giving a huge budget with adequate allocation to every sector.
