BGB will soon get choppers

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will soon get helicopters to patrol inaccessible areas across the country's borders, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced yesterday at BGB's Pilkhana headquarters in the capital.

The prime minister made the announcement while addressing BGB members on the occasion of Border Guard Bangladesh Day 2017.

Urging the BGB members to work for the country's development maintaining strict discipline, she said, "I believe that mutual confidence, respect, discipline, humanity and above all, mutual sympathy, among the officers and members [of BGB] will strengthen the bond of this force."  

BGB is a force of unquestionable loyalty and allegiance and it gives the nation a sense of confidence when it comes to safeguarding the border, maintaining internal law and order and tackling manmade and social calamities, said the PM.

Asking the BGB members to discharge their duties with patriotism, honesty and discipline, she recalled BGB's outstanding and praiseworthy role in maintaining law-and-order situations in the country, especially during the destructive activities including arson attacks by the BNP-Jamaat clique centring the last general elections.

The PM informed the BGB members of various development programmes undertaken by her government for the welfare of the BGB and its members and assured them of her government's continued support in this regard.

Highlighting the glorious role of members of the then EPR, the predecessor of BGB, during the Liberation War in 1971, the premier said they had put up a strong resistance against the Pakistani occupation forces in the early hours of the Liberation War, responding to the call of Bangabandhu.

She said the EPR members were the first to transmit Bangabandhu's proclamation of independence across the country via their wireless systems and Subedar Major Shawkat Ali along with his four colleagues embraced martyrdom while performing this duty.

Earlier Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and BGB Director General Maj Gen Abul Hossain received the premier when she arrived at the BGB headquarters.

The prime minister then inspected and took salute at an attractive parade arranged on the occasion of the BGB Day 2017 at Bir Uttam Anwar Hossain Parade Ground. She also witnessed attractive drills conducted by the BGB members.

A group of representatives led by Indian Border Security Force Director General Krishan Kumar Sharma and another group of representatives headed by police commander of Myanmar's Border Guard Police Brig Gen Myint Toe also witnessed the parade.

The prime minister handed over the President's Border Guard Medal (PBGM), BGB Medal (BGBM), BGB Medal-Service (BGBMS) and PBGM-Service (PBGMS) to 51 members of BGB for their courageous and brilliant contributions to various activities of the BGB.

She later addressed a “Special Darbar” of BGB members and replied to queries from two of the members.

BGB DG Maj Gen Abul Hossain thanked the prime minister for the overall development of the force under her leadership.