Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday made an unannounced visit to a Bangladesh Army field exercise in Manikganj, where he inspected combat preparedness, observed live tactical drills and urged troops to maintain the highest level of operational readiness.
During the surprise visit to the summer exercise area of 8 Bir under the 9th Infantry Division in Singair upazila, the prime minister spent several hours with officers and soldiers, receiving firsthand briefings on operational capabilities and interacting with troops participating in the exercise.
According to the Prime Minister’s Press Wing, Tarique arrived at the training ground around 9:20am and walked across a large section of the exercise area to observe various phases of the field training.
He was briefed by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 9th Infantry Division and the unit’s Commanding Officer on the objectives of the exercise and the army’s operational preparedness.
The prime minister also listened to a commander’s operational briefing before observing a live raid exercise carried out by participating troops.
He inspected troop deployment, combat tactics, weapons handling and other battlefield drills designed to simulate real operational conditions.
During the visit, Tarique entered a field bunker, exchanged views with officers and soldiers stationed there and met troops positioned in camouflage across the exercise area.
In an informal gesture, the prime minister tasted the freshly prepared meal cooked for the soldiers and later joined them for tea, with army personnel expressing delight at his extended stay in the field.
Addressing the troops, Tarique said the people of Bangladesh have deep confidence in the Bangladesh Army and commended its role in safeguarding national security and maintaining law and order.
He stressed that continuous professional training, strict discipline and sustained operational preparedness are essential to meeting evolving security challenges and wished the force continued success.
Prime Minister’s Defence Adviser Brig Gen (retd) Dr AKM Shamsul Islam, Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Military Secretary to the Prime Minister Major General Abul Hasnat Mohammad Tariq and other senior army officers accompanied the prime minister during the visit.
