Global InformationBangladesh Armed Forces information
| Bangladesh Armed Forces | |
|---|---|
| বাংলাদেশ সশস্ত্র বাহিনী Bangladesh Shoshostro Bahinī | |
 Crest of Bangladesh Armed Forces | |
 Flag of Bangladesh Armed Forces | |
| Motto | চির উন্নত মম শির (de facto) "Ever High is My Head" |
| Founded | 21 November 1971 |
| Current form | 12 January 1972 |
| Service branches |  Bangladesh Army Bangladesh Navy Bangladesh Air Force |
| Headquarters | Armed Forces Division Headquarters, Dhaka Cantonment |
| Website | ispr |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief |  President Mohammed Shahabuddin |
| Minister of Defence |  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina |
| Principal Staff Officer | Lt. Gen. Mizanur Rahman |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 18 years |
| Conscription | No[1] |
| Active personnel | 160,000[2] |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | 6.995 billion USD (2024)[3] |
| Percent of GDP | 1.5% (2024) |
| Industry | |
| Domestic suppliers | List
|
| Related articles | |
| History | Bangladesh War of Liberation 1972-1975 Bangladesh insurgency Chittagong Hill Tracts Insurgency Gulf War Operation Clean Heart |
| Ranks | Military ranks of Bangladesh |
The Bangladesh Armed Forces (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ সশস্ত্র বাহিনী, romanized: Bangladesh Sashastra Bahinī) are the military forces of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. They consist of the three uniformed military services: the Bangladesh Army, the Bangladesh Navy and the Bangladesh Air Force. The Armed Forces are under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Defence of the Government of Bangladesh, and are directly administered by the Armed Forces Division of the Prime Minister's Office.[4] The President of Bangladesh serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. Bangladesh has the third-largest defence budget in South Asia and according to the Global Firepower index, The Bangladeshi ilitary is the 37th strongest in the World[5]it is the third most powerful military force in South Asia.[6] Border Guard Bangladesh and Bangladesh Coast Guard are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs[7] during peacetime, but during wartime they fall under the command of Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Navy respectively.
Military policy is formulated and executed by the Armed Forces Division (AFD) whereas the Ministry of Defence (MoD) does not exercise any operational or policy authority over the Armed Forces. Since independence, the AFD and MoD has been led by the Prime Minister. To coordinate military policy with foreign and intelligence policy, both the president and the prime minister are advised by a six-member advisory board which consists of the three military services' Chiefs of Staff, the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, and military secretaries to the president and the prime minister. The directors general of the NSI, the DGFI and the BGB also serve in an advisory capacity, when invited.[8][9]
Armed Forces Day is observed on 21 November and commemorates the founding of the three services of the Armed Forces who subsequently initiated a joint Millitary operation against the occupying Pakistani Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War.[10][11] Official functions are held across the country including at Bangabhaban, the Armed Forces Division Headquarters at Dhaka Cantonment, all military cantonments and at every military installation throughout the country.[12]
- ^ "South Asia :: Bangladesh — The World Factbook". un.org. CIA. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (15 February 2023). The Military Balance 2023. London: Routledge. p. 232. ISBN 9781032508955.
- ^ "Defense Budget by Country (2024)">"Defense Budget by Country (2024)".
- ^ "About AFD". Armed Forces Division. Archived from the original on 30 August 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
- ^ "2024 Millitary strength ranking">"2024 Millitary strength ranking".
- ^ "Bangladesh Army remains 45th most powerful in world". The Business Standard. 16 January 2021. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "Ministry of Home Affairs | Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh". mha.gov.bd. 16 December 1971. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
- ^ "Hasina attends office at Armed Forces Division". The Daily Star. 15 January 2009. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
- ^ "Lt Gen Mahfuzur new principal staff officer of Armed Forces Division". The Daily Star. 3 February 2016. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
- ^ "Govt will continue efforts to modernise armed forces: PM". Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. 20 November 2002. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007.
- ^ "Armed Forces Day today". The Daily Star. 21 November 2015. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
- ^ "Significance of Armed Forces Day". The Daily Star. 22 November 2009. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.