Legal notice urges govt to buy air defence systems
A Supreme Court lawyer on Tuesday issued a legal notice to government officials, demanding immediate procurement of state-of-the-art air defense systems and the start of local R&D for developing indigenous ones.
Md Mahmudul Hasan sent the notice issued in public interest via post and email to address modern aerial warfare threats and safeguard national security.
The recipients include the cabinet secretary, secretaries of the defence and finance ministries, the principal staff officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division, and the commandant of Bangladesh Ordnance Factories (BOF).
The letter asks the authorities to begin procurement and domestic development by allocating funds and infrastructure within 15 days and inform the sender.
Should the government fail to act within this timeframe, a writ petition will be submitted to the High Court Division under Article 102 of the Constitution as a public interest litigation.
Citizens have the right to know whether the armed forces—funded by taxpayers—are capable of protecting the country’s sovereignty from modern external threats, it states, noting that the defence sector feeds on a significant portion of the budget each year.
The letter notes that air attacks that involve advanced missiles, fighter jets and drones are becoming more dominant than conventional ground combat in modern warfare.
Bangladesh currently lacks a highly effective and comprehensive air defence system, the letter said, citing media reports and reports by defence analysts.
In such a situation, any foreign attack could put both military installations and civilian lives at serious risk, potentially undermining national sovereignty, it added.
It also highlighted risks stemming from regional instability, including the civil war in neighbouring Myanmar and broader geopolitical tensions.
The notice notes that India has already procured and deployed Russia’s advanced S-400 air defence system.
To maintain regional deterrence, it argues that Bangladesh should urgently acquire systems such as the US Patriot or comparable advanced Chinese alternatives.
At the same time, it stresses the strategic importance of developing a domestic air defence system through research and development, noting that reliance on costly foreign systems could create long-term technological dependence.
Referring to Articles 31 and 32 of the Constitution, the notice adds that the right to life and legal protection are constitutionally secured, and leaving the country’s airspace undefended would amount to a failure of the state’s constitutional duties and a violation of citizens’ fundamental rights.
