PM for making modern technology-based BGB to safeguard sovereignty, border

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today 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, BSS reports.

“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 utilizing the modern technology to this end,” she said.

She said this while addressing as the chief guest the basic training course completion parade of the BGB 95th batch joining virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence here.

The premier 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 have upgraded the BGB as three-dimensional force (with induction of helicopters to the force). 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 pan 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 am telling the freshers that maintaining rules and regulations in a disciplined force is the most important thing. So, you have to pay heed to the matter.”

She added that “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.

The premier 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 to the Great Liberation War mentioning that as many as 12,000 personnel of the force took part in the war and 817 of them sacrificed their lives for the noble cause of country’s independence.

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

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Senior Secretary of Public Security Division of Home Ministry, Mostofa Kamal Uddin spoke on the occasion attending the function from the ministry while Director General (DG) of BGB Major General Md 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 premier through a spectacular parade.

Pointing out her government efforts to facilitate healthcare services to the BGB, the prime minister said that they have upgraded the five hospitals of the force to ensure improved medicare services for the BGB personnel and their family members.

“A modern catho lab and a Coronary Care Unit (CCU) have been set up at the BGB’s hospital in Dhaka to provide modern healthcare services,” she added.

Sheikh Hasina said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman started reorganizing the BDR after the Liberation War as part of rebuilding the war-ravaged country.

She went on saying that everything however had become stagnant following assassination of Bangabandhu along with most of his family members on August 15, 1975.

Recalling that she and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana survived the attack as they were abroad, the prime minister said after the killing of Bangabandhu, the country had deviated from the ideal of the spirit of the Liberation War.

Assuming office after 21 years, she said that the Awami League government initiated working to turn each of the organizations into a modern and powerful one.

In this connection she said, “We have adopted perspective plans with short, medium and long term ranges for ensuring overall development of Bangladesh. We will build our border guard as a stronger force in accordance with the development plans.”

The premier said her government had solved the land boundary problem with India in line with the land boundary agreement done by Bangabandhu, adding that the post 1975 governments of Zia, Ershad and Khaleda Zia did nothing to this respect.

Mentioning that America and many different countries of Europe have been experiencing fresh surge of the Covid-19, Sheikh Hasina called upon all to be more cautious aimed at protecting themselves and the people around from the second wave of the lethal virus in the country as the cold intensity increases.

“Follow the health guidelines properly as the coronavirus cannot hamper your health,” she said.

Stating that her government has already taken all possible measures to face the second wave of the pandemic, she said allocation to procure Covid-19 vaccines has been made to ensure vaccination of the countrymen once it is ready.

The prime minister renewed her vow to give houses to every landless and homeless people by the Golden Jubilee of the country’s independence alongside bringing all the houses under electrification to build a prosperous and developed country free from hunger and poverty envisioned by Bangabandhu.