Special Report :
Dhaka, July 21 – Bangladesh’s procurement of China-supplied F-7 fighter jets has sparked not only safety and reliability concerns but also allegations of profiteering by third-party suppliers with ties to the Hasina regime.
Military insiders and independent analysts are raising calls for investigation amid persistent technical failures, defective spare parts, and mounting evidence of potentially corrupt transactions.
According to the article “Bangladesh military unhappy with weapons imported from China; complains of ‘sub-standard’, faulty parts” published by the Times of India on June 13, 2024, Bangladesh, a longstanding buyer of Chinese military equipment, has formally complained to Beijing about persistent delivery of faulty spare parts and technical defects in its imported hardware.
The Bangladesh airforce accused Chinese companies of supplying sub-standard spares for corvettes, petrol crafts, and onshore patrol vehicles—all of which experienced manufacturing defects and operational failures soon after delivery.
The Bangladesh Air Force also reported ongoing issues with Chinese-made F-7 fighter jets, particularly technical faults and unreliable short-range air defense systems.
Additionally, there were problems with firing the ammunition of Chinese K-8W aircraft soon after induction, as well as concerns raised about the inaccuracy of Chinese-supplied airborne interception radars and fighter aircraft radars, while spare parts for Chinese tanks and frigates were frequently found to be in short supply or defective.
The F-7 jets, linchpin of Bangladesh’s air defense, have been at the center of multiple fatal incidents and operational disruptions, with repeated complaints of faulty components, poor-quality radars, and unreliable ammunition systems. Similar issues have affected other Chinese-supplied military hardware in Bangladesh, including naval vessels, tanks, and air defense platforms.
Critics allege that some profits from the import and distribution of Chinese parts for Bangladesh’s air force have flowed to third-party suppliers and businesses closely associated with powerbrokers in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.
These intermediaries are said to have played a key role in negotiating procurement deals, sometimes at inflated prices, and have profited despite persistent delivery of substandard equipment.
•Opaque Transactions: Procurement contracts for spare parts and military hardware have often lacked transparency, making it difficult to scrutinize supplier credentials or the true value of transactions.
•Crony Networks: Several suppliers reportedly enjoy privileged access to military contracts due to their political connections, leading to growing suspicions of kickbacks and self-enrichment at the public’s expense.
•Calls for Probe: Defense experts and good governance advocates are calling for an independent investigation into these procurement deals, stressing that the ongoing technical failures and safety hazards raise the stakes for accountability and due diligence.
With quality concerns now intertwined with credible profiteering allegations, transparency advocates argue that only a thorough probe can restore faith in the procurement process and identify any wrongdoing.
Such scrutiny is seen as critical to ensuring the safety, effectiveness, and integrity of Bangladesh’s defense forces, and to preventing future scandals involving key national security assets.
