Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inspected the army’s summer training exercise. This marked the first time in the country’s history that a sitting prime minister has been present in person at an army summer training area, spending an extended period with field-level soldiers.
At 9:20am on Tuesday, he arrived unannounced at the summer training area of 8 Bir under the 9th Infantry Division of the Bangladesh Army in Singair upazila, Manikganj, and inspected a wide stretch of the area on foot.
During the exercise, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman toured various sections of the “farm base” and was briefed by the responsible General Officer Commanding (GOC) and the unit’s Commanding Officer (CO) on the training activities and strategic preparations. He listened attentively to a commander’s verbal operational briefing and observed a “raid” exercise conducted by soldiers.
The prime minister also toured various aspects of battlefield positioning, tactics, weapons use and realistic training conducted by soldiers. He went down into an army bunker and exchanged views on tactics with the officers and soldiers taking part in the exercise. He even went to soldiers positioned in camouflage under tree cover to check on them and encourage them in their duties.
At one point, the prime minister ate freshly prepared field rations with the soldiers taking part in the exercise and had tea with them. Soldiers present expressed enthusiasm at the extended time the head of government spent with field-level troops.
In directive remarks to the soldiers afterward, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the people of the country place deep trust in the Bangladesh Army. Praising the army’s distinguished role in national crises and maintaining law and order, he emphasized professional training, discipline and maintaining the highest state of readiness. He also wished continued success for the Bangladesh Army.
Also present were the prime minister’s defense adviser Brigadier General (retd) Dr. A.K.M. Shamsul Islam, Chief of Army Staff General Waker-uz-Zaman, the prime minister’s military secretary Major General Abul Hasnat Mohammad Tarique, and senior Bangladesh Army officers.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report