PM inaugurates Navy, Air Force selection boards
PM Tarique Rahman inaugurates the ‘Navy and Air Force Selection Board-2026’ at the Air Force Headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment. Photo: Collected.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has formally inaugurated the 'Navy and Air Force Selection Board-2026'. The Prime Minister inaugurated the selection board as the chief guest on Sunday at the Air Force Headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment.
This promotion board will consider qualified officers holding the ranks of Captain, Commander, and Lieutenant Commander in the Bangladesh Navy, and Group Captain, Wing Commander, and Squadron Leader in the Bangladesh Air Force for their next promotions.
Upon the Prime Minister's arrival at the venue, he was welcomed by his Defense Advisor, Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. A K M Shamsul Islam, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Navy Chief Admiral Khondkar Misbah Ul Azim, and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan.
Prior to the inauguration of the selection board, the Prime Minister conferred the Admiral rank badge upon Navy Chief Khondkar Misbah Ul Azim. The Prime Minister then congratulated the newly appointed Navy Chief.
On this occasion, Navy Chief Admiral Khondkar Misbah Ul Azim expressed sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister on behalf of the Bangladesh Navy and sought his valuable advice and guidance to advance the Navy as a more modern, capable, and contemporary force.
In his address to the selection board, the Prime Minister began by paying tribute to the great Proclaimer of Independence and valiant freedom fighter, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, and former Prime Minister, late Begum Khaleda Zia.
He also remembered with gratitude all the martyrs of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, all the martyrs of the 2024 student-mass uprising who defended the freedom of the country and its people, and all those who were killed or injured in various movements to establish democracy and people's rights in the country from 1971 to 2024.
Additionally, he specially recalled all the martyrs, wounded, and valiant freedom fighters of the Great Liberation War, particularly the martyrs of the Armed Forces, including the Navy and Air Force, whose sacrifices the nation will forever remember with gratitude.
The Prime Minister instructed the members of the selection board to prioritize officers' professional competence, leadership qualities, standards of discipline, integrity, honesty, loyalty, and, above all, suitability for the post over political ideology and personal likes or dislikes when considering promotions.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said that, alongside their primary duty of safeguarding the country's independence and sovereignty, the Bangladesh Navy and Air Force continue to play a vital role in assisting the civil administration in maintaining internal peace, order, stability, and tackling disasters.
He expressed sincere thanks to everyone in the Navy and Air Force, from the chiefs to all members, for their sacrifices made for the needs of the country.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister conducted an on-site inspection of various important operational facilities of the Air Force. He first unveiled the inaugural plaque of the Air Defence System Integration (ADSI) established at the Air Defence Control Centre located in Dhaka Cantonment.
During this time, he inspected the various air defence operations of the newly inaugurated ADSI. In addition, the Prime Minister visited the Air Command Operations Centre (ACOC) of the Air Force. During the visit, he observed, with the help of the ACOC's digital large display, interceptions of enemy aircraft by Air Force fighter jets, as well as troops insertion by helicopters through live feed from UAVs in Chattogram.
Afterwards, the Prime Minister toured the Aerospace Research and Development Complex (ARDC) of the Air Force and observed various research activities at the ARDC.
On this occasion, the Prime Minister was demonstrated with various types of UAVs developed with the Bangladesh Air Force's own research and technologies. He observed the flight of a quadcopter. The Prime Minister expressed optimism that the development of such a modern aerial system using indigenous technological capabilities would be considered a significant milestone in the Bangladesh Air Force's research, innovation, and technological self-reliance.
During the inaugural ceremony of the 'Navy and Air Force Selection Board-2026' and the inspection of various important operational facilities, the Prime Minister's Defence Advisor, the Navy and Air Force Chiefs, the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, the Defence Secretary, and other senior officers of the armed forces were present.
