The Bangladesh armed forces, in the limelight lately due to their new found reluctant yet rather welcomed political role, underwent an upgrade.
The Army was until now headed by a Lt Gen in a 3 star rank while Navy and Air Force in 2 star ranks as Rear Adm and AVM.
But as the Army Chief is upgraded to full General in 4 stars, the previously 2 star Navy and BAF chiefs have been upgraded to 3 stars only.
Apparently it’s got to do with the respective size of the force.
The Army BD inherited from Pakistan in 1971 in the form of revolting units has come a long way. The last of the officers commissioned in the Pakistan Army, Navy or PAF who served BD after 1971 have retired and the newer breed commissioned soon after BD’s creation is heading the forces today.
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**Rank of Army Chief should have been upgraded earlier **
The rank of the Army Chief should have been upgraded much earlier as the number of soldiers in the Bangladesh Army is now more than 150,000.
Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, said this at a reception ceremony, at the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre yesterday.
He said, “Earlier there were only 50,000 soldiers in the Army. Then the designation of the Army Chief was Lieutenant General. Now the number of soldiers has increased by three times. In many other countries with fewer soldiers in the army, rank of their army chief is general. So it is needed in Bangladesh.”
He was speaking at the reception of best businessman of the year 2006 Din M Rana declared by National Republican and Congressional Committee of the USA and the cover opening of the book US Presidents with first ladies and deputies edited by Din M Rana.
He said, “Bangladesh is not the country of natural disasters and corruption. It is the country of potentiality.”
Contribution and cooperation from the people from all walks of life in the country is needed to put the country back on track and we are trying to do so, he added.
The ceremony was organised by Federation of Bangladeshi Associations Overseas (FOBA).
Din M Rana, who is also the Honorary Chairman of business advisory council of the US was declared the businessman of the year 2006 and was awarded by the US President George W Bush.
Freedom fighter Din M Rana was the youngest company commander of the liberation war. He has engaged himself with banking, aviation, hotel, large industry, media, joint venture and real estate business.
The first Bangladeshi to win such award Din M Rana urged the people to be more patriotic.
Shaikhul Bari, Chief Adviser of ATN Bangla was present at the ceremony as special guest while S M Saifuzzaman, convener of FOBA and Dr Kazi Saifuddin, Managing Director, IT Consultants Limited was present at the ceremony.