Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday said strategy of national defence will have to be updated on the basis of latest technology and changing warfare techniques alongside making it pro-people as Bangladesh's major strength is its people and national commitment.
“In the present world, planning and execution of warfare is undergoing revolutionary and epoch-making changes with the rapid development of technologies.
We, therefore, have to groom our military leaders and defence forces in line with those changes,” she told a graduation certificate-awarding ceremony.
She noted with happiness that the curriculum of the Armed Forces War Course has been prepared by attaching due importance to these themes. “I am certain, you will lift Bangladesh Armed Forces to new levels of capacity, excellence and efficiency through appropriate application of the knowledge gained
from the course,” she told the course participants from three services.
Khaleda, also in charge of Defence Ministry, said defence and national security in today's world depends on overall national prowess and capacity. And her government has taken all-out initiatives for overall socio-economic development alongside moderation of the armed forces in line with needs of the time.
“With that objective in view, all subjects related to the country's development have been included in the curriculum of National Defence College side by side national security and defence,” she told the function.
The PM was distributing certificates of the National Defence Course (NDC)-2005 and Armed Forces War Course (AFWC)-2005 at the National Defence College auditorium at the Mirpur Cantonment in the city.
A total of 26 trainees attended 11-month-long NDC -2005 of which, 13 officers from Bangladesh Armed Forces, nine joint secretaries from civil service and two DIGs from
police service along with two overseas members from Nepal and Sri Lanka. While 18 officers from Bangladesh Armed Forces participated in the AFWC-2005.
Khaleda said her government emphasised the training of civil officers for making the civil administration more dynamic and effective in accordance with demand of the time.
The civil officers are also deriving considerable benefits by participating in the training courses of the National Defence College, she said, adding that they are developing expertise in swift decision-making and proper execution alongside acquiring comprehensive knowledge.
“I believe this training and interaction is having a positive impact on both the civil and military administration,” the Prime Minister, also chairperson of National Defence Collge governing body, said.
Khaleda thanked the governments of China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Australia and South Africa for hosting the study trips of
the National Defence Course and the Armed Forces War Course.
Congratulating the foreign trainees, she said that existing cordial relations between Bangladesh and their countries would be further strengthened through their interaction.
on her arrival at the college, Khaleda was received by Army Chief Lt General Moeen U Ahmed, Naval Chief Rear Admiral M Hasan Ali Khan, Air Chief Air Vice-Marshal Fakhrul Azam, Commandant of NDC Maj Gen Abu Tayeb Muhammad Zahirul Alam and principal staff officer of the Armed Forces Division Maj Gen Mustafa Reza Noor.
Ministers, diplomats, senior civil and military officials were present at the function.