The Bangladesh Army has initiated steps to raise three special para commando units, including a full-fledged brigade, with a formal proposal sent to the Ministry of Defence and the Chief Adviser’s Office for approval, intelligence sources in Dhaka said.
“The move was among several key issues discussed during a two-day conference of general and formation commanders held on January 25 and 26 at the Army’s Multipurpose Complex in Dhaka Cantonment. Senior officers reviewed strategic, operational and administrative matters during the closed-door meetings,” said an intelligence wing official.
A day after the conference concluded, Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman undertook a day-long visit to the 66th Infantry Division in Rangpur, accompanied by at least one lieutenant general and four brigadiers.
An eight-page document dated January 5, circulated among the Army’s top brass, outlined the agenda for the conference. The document was shared with senior officers including Chief of Army Staff Gen Waker-uz-Zaman, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lt Gen S M Kamrul Hassan, National Defence College Commandant Lt Gen Mohammad Shahinul Haque, ARTDOC GOC Lt Gen Mainur Rahman, and several major generals.
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Formation commanders, particularly major generals heading divisions, presented detailed reports on operational and developmental tasks, highlighting the percentage of work completed and projected timelines for completion.
Security arrangements for the conference were extensive. While the Military Operations Directorate ensured mine-sweeping measures, the Military Intelligence Directorate conducted covert surveillance at the venue. A coordination meeting was also held on January 21 to finalise preparations and planning for the event.
According to intelligence sources, one of the significant agenda items was a review of proposals related to sending officer cadets abroad for training. The Army is considering training opportunities in countries including India, Pakistan, the UK, the US, China and Russia. However, it was decided that cadets would be sent to India and Russia only on a case-by-case basis, depending on bilateral military relations and financial terms.
Bangladesh Defence sources said the decision signals a move to downgrade military training ties with India and Russia, which had earlier been preferred destinations for Bangladeshi officer cadets. The shift is expected to impact defence cooperation between Dhaka and New Delhi, as well as Dhaka and Moscow.
The conference also discussed determining the future strength of the Bangladesh Army, proposals to raise new establishments in 2025, filling existing vacancies, and converting ad hoc units into permanent formations.
Another major issue was a proposal dated October 15, 2025, to raise a new para commando brigade and two para commando battalions on a permanent basis. The proposal was forwarded by the Planning Directorate to the Armed Forces Division on November 11, 2025, and later sent to the Ministry of Defence for approval by Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus.
Army chief Gen Waker-uz-Zaman is expected to address these key and potentially sensitive decisions, marking some of the first major structural and policy shifts by the Bangladesh Army following the overthrow of the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
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