Restrict smuggling, protect independence and sovereignty, PM Hasina to BGB

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said her government attached special priority to developing modern technology-based Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to make it more efficient to safeguard country’s independence and sovereignty alongside checking border crimes including smuggling and human trafficking.

“We have entered a modern era. We have built a digital Bangladesh. So, our BGB will have to be a modern knowledge-based force as it can protect the independence and sovereignty of our country alongside combating border crimes, such as smuggling and trafficking of women and children. We have given a special eye on utilising the modern technology to this end,” she said.

She said this while addressing as the chief guest the post-completion parade of the BGB 95th batch joining virtually from her official Gonobhaban residence in the capital.

The prime minister said her government has already taken the measures, whatever necessary, to adopt modern technology with building developed BOPs and BSPs at borders alongside setting up ultra-modern surveillance equipment, ATV, APC, vehicle scanner and high-speeding vessels as part of making the smart frontier management.

In this connection, she said that the government has adopted “Border Guard Bangladesh Vision-2041” as part of its move to turn it into an international standard and modern border security force.

“We’ve upgraded the BGB as three-dimensional force (with the induction of helicopters). The BGB has achieved capability in discharging their duties in naval and air ways alongside roads,” she continued.

The prime minister said the government has a plan to recruit 15,000 more manpower for the para-military force in three phases.

She, however, called upon the newly recruited personnel of BGB to abide by the discipline of the force, saying “I’m telling the freshers that maintaining rules and regulations in a disciplined force is the most important thing. So, you’ve to pay heed to the matter.”

“You have to be fearless in discharging the order of the authorities concerned and your duties properly while high officials would have to show sympathy to their staff working under their authorities,” she added.

The prime minister reminded all particularly the soldiers that the country was liberated following an ideology, saying, “You have to pursue the ideology. We have to work in such a way as we can develop our country.”

She recalled with due respect the contribution of then BDR (which was later renamed as BGB) to the Great Liberation War mentioning that as many as 12,000 personnel of the force took part in the war. Among them, 817 sacrificed their lives for the noble cause of country’s independence.

The prime minister also appreciated the para-military force to disseminate the proclamation of independence by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 25 March 1971 night to each corners of the country through EPR wireless.

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan also spoke on the occasion attending the function from the ministry while BGB director general major general Shafeenul Islam gave the welcome address from the Border Guard Training Centre, Satkania, Chattogram, through a video conference.

On behalf of the prime minister, the BGB chief handed over prizes among Khokon Mollah for his best all rounding performance and Hasina Akter Bithi for her best performance in firing.

A smartly turned out contingent of the BGB gave salute to the prime minister through a spectacular parade.