‘Military force key to protect BD’

Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman on Thursday underscored the importance of a modern, efficient and patriotic military force in protecting the country’s independence and sovereignty, saying the responsibility of leading such a force rests primarily with its officers.

He made the remarks while addressing the President’s Parade marking the commissioning of the 90th Long Course Officer Cadets of the Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA) at the BMA Parade Ground in Bhatiari, Chittagong.

During the ceremony, the Army Chief inspected the parade, received the salute and presented awards to outstanding cadets.

Highlighting the role of the Bangladesh Military Academy, General Waker said the institution was established in 1974 with the goal of producing dedicated, capable, intelligent and talented officers suited to the demands of the 21st century.

He said officers commissioned from the academy have been leading the Bangladesh Army with loyalty, discipline, fairness and a strong sense of responsibility, enabling the force to make significant contributions both at home and beyond the country’s borders.

Referring to the army’s motto, “Chiro Unnata Momo Shir”, he said the Bangladesh Army continues to strengthen its operational capabilities through the academy’s long-term planning and professional training programmes.

“We take pride in and express our gratitude for the contributions made by the Bangladesh Military Academy,” he said. The Army Chief noted that, in response to evolving global realities, a range of practical initiatives has been undertaken to modernise the Bangladesh Army. As part of these efforts, the activities of the 2nd Bangladesh Battalion at BMA were formally inaugurated to improve cadet training standards, provide modern facilities and ensure continuity in training schedules.

He expressed confidence that the newly established battalion would play an important role in developing skilled, dynamic and competent leaders capable of addressing future challenges. Addressing the graduating cadets, General Waker reminded them that through their oath they had assumed the honourable responsibility of protecting the country’s independence and sovereignty.

A total of 184 officer cadets from the 90th BMA Long Course were commissioned into the Bangladesh Army after completing three years of rigorous military training. The graduating batch included 166 male and 18 female officers.

The academy also trained seven foreign cadets, including four from Palestine and one each from Tanzania, Zambia and the Maldives, who will join the armed forces of their respective countries.

Among the award recipients, Battalion Senior Under Officer Khairul Islam of the 90th BMA Long Course received the prestigious Sword of Honour as the best all-round cadet. He also earned the Chief of Army Staff Gold Medal for excellence in military subjects.

Sergeant Abu Bakar of Tanzania was awarded the BMA Trophy of Excellence as the best foreign cadet trained at the academy.

Following the parade, the newly commissioned officers formally took an oath to defend the independence and sovereignty of the nation. Parents, guardians and invited guests later participated in the rank-badge ceremony for the graduates.

At the beginning of the programme, the chief guest was received at the parade ground by the Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army Training and Doctrine Command, the Commandant of the Bangladesh Military Academy and the General Officer Commanding (GOC) and Area Commander of the Chattogram Area.

The event was attended by Members of Parliament, senior military and civilian officials from home and abroad, invited guests, media representatives and the parents and guardians of the newly commissioned officers.

Later, General Waker inaugurated the 2nd Bangladesh Battalion at the academy. The new battalion has been established alongside the 1st Bangladesh Battalion to further strengthen the professional competence, leadership qualities and overall training standards of officer cadets in preparation for future challenges.