Armed forces are being modernized to strengthen the defense system: Prime Minister

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said that the government has taken various steps to strengthen the defense system, increase the capacity of the armed forces and transform them into a timely force. He said this during the Question and Answer Session of the National Assembly on Wednesday (April 15). In this regard, MP Al Farooq Abdul Latif asked a written question.
The Prime Minister said that the current government is going to increase the capacity of the armed forces to strengthen the defense system. For this, various steps have been taken to transform the armed forces into a modern, efficient and timely force, which includes formulating various plans, increasing the number of soldiers, modernizing and improving training.
He said that the government’s goal is to upgrade the army, navy and air force to such a capacity to create a credible deterrent system to protect national sovereignty. To this end, initiatives have been taken to formulate a new national security strategy and modern defense policy, increase the strategic capabilities of the army, protect sea lanes, maritime resources and the blue economy through the Navy, and increase the air defense, surveillance and rapid deployment capabilities of the Air Force. At the same time, emphasis is being placed on increasing self-reliance by developing the domestic defense industry through the ‘Mad in Bangladesh’ initiative, the Prime Minister said.
Referring to the election manifesto, Tarique Rahman said that the BNP’s 2026 election manifesto has promised to make the armed forces modern, fast, self-reliant, above political debate and with integrated defense capabilities.
He said that in the current security reality, the government does not want to be limited to adding conventional weapons. Rather, emphasis has been placed on increasing capabilities in new areas such as cyberspace, information warfare, drones, artificial intelligence, coastal security, energy infrastructure security and inter-service coordination. Noting that the addition of 4.5 generation modern fighter aircraft to the Air Force is also gaining importance, the Prime Minister said, “Along with this, the main goal of the government is to build a modern, knowledge-based, technology-dependent and public-trusted armed force by considering issues such as training, professional skills, welfare, post-retirement status and ‘one post, one person, one pension’.”
She said that initiatives have been taken to add advanced weapons, modern fighter aircraft, ships and submarines, air defense systems and state-of-the-art surveillance technology to the Army, Navy and Air Force. This modernization program is an ongoing process, which will create a strong foundation for protecting our national security and sovereignty.
Tariq Rahman said that the Armed Forces of Bangladesh are continuously working to strengthen international cooperation and strategic partnerships. To this end, the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force are conducting regular joint training and exercises with various friendly countries. At the same time, an important role is being played in developing strategic relations, exchanging experiences, and enhancing regional security cooperation by organizing regular official-level meetings, defense dialogues, and bilateral meetings with various countries.