Jan 1, 2011

Security Forces Capacity Building

With a view to revamp the image and functioning of the Bangladesh Rifles, the government had undertaken a number of measures, one of it was renaming the force. The President Zillur Rahman consented to the Border Guard Bangladesh Bill 2010, renaming the Bangladesh Rifles and providing maximum death penalty for a mutiny. The special courts of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have completed trials in some of the cases of those who participated in the rebellion in February 2009 and are being tried in different courts and conviction has begun.

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina indicated that the government had decided  to add a submarine and two maritime helicopters to the Bangladesh Navy in near future to build it as a three-dimensional and effective force.  “The matter of inclusion of the submarine in the Naval force in near future is in our active consideration, while the helicopters would be added to the force by the mid of next year”’ she said while addressing the winter passing out parade of midshipmen 2009/A Batch at Bangladesh Naval Academy at Patenga in Chittagong. Five patrol craft are also being built at Khulna Shipyard for Bangladesh Navy by using local technology that would open up a prospective era.

The Bangladesh Navy capacity building is now coming into focus primarily to protect maritime interests in the large EEZ that the country is likely to acquire in the near future. At present the Navy is mostly limited to coastal patrolling. Given that Bangladesh has maritime disputes with India and Myanmar which have been put up for adjudication by the international court and possibility of finding large quantities of offshore oil and gas, the government has been induced to expand naval capability to protect its maritime wealth. However a submarine may not be really essential unless it is anticipating a major threat though maritime helicopters would be necessary for surveillance and patrolling of the waters.

The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also held a meeting under the auspices of National Committee for Intelligence Coordination (NCIC) to discuss amongst other issues recent violence in the garment sector and alleged syndicates behind price-hike of essentials. In the wake of the Border Guards Bangladesh mutiny in February 2009, Bangladesh government had formed a high level committee the NCIC in 2009 to prevent recurrence of a major intelligence lapse. The NCIC has eight-members with the prime minister as its chairman to coordinate intelligence activities of different agencies and enhance efficiency. The prime minister's security adviser acts as the chief coordinator of the committee. The cabinet secretary, principal secretary, prime minister's office, director general of forces intelligence (DGFI), director general of national security intelligence (NSI), director general of special security force (SSF) and inspector general of police (IGP) are members of the committee. In addition, director general of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), additional inspector general of special branch (SB) and the additional inspector general of criminal investigation department (CID) assist the committee.

Facing imminent dangers from disasters, the government is planning to form three separate teams within the Bangladesh Army to expand capacity for post-earthquake search and rescue operations. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced the plans to deal with such calamities at the equipment handing over ceremony at 14 Independent Engineer Brigade Training Ground to the Armed Forces Division, Fire Service, City Corporation and Coast Guard. The three teams will have a heavy, medium and light configuration and will be composed of engineering, artillery, infantry and other troops.

            Meanwhile the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) reportedly trained by the British is continuing the campaign against terrorist groups as the Jamaat Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Harkat ul Jihadi Islam Bangladesh (HUJI B).  In raids during the month the Rapid Action Battalion discovered JMB pamphlets and training manuals in hide outs which was enough proof that the group was active. There are concerns that this may continue to be a challenge for the Bangla security forces despite the many successes achieved in the past.