Qualified, prudent officers deserve promotion in Bangladesh Army: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday asked Bangladesh Army Selection Board-2023 to choose qualified and prudent officers for promotion in the army through a neutral evaluation.

"You should do it considering professional competence, drawing comparative evaluation in logical and scientific ways. Besides, you need to pay attention to whether the officers have the skills of giving command or the ability of taking quick decisions (in special situations)," she said.

The prime minister said this while addressing a meeting of the selection board at Senakunja in Dhaka Cantonment.

She hoped that the selection board will perform the sacred duty with honesty, justice and proper judgement to choose the qualified officers for promotion.

"Consider their experience in field work and the ability of taking instant decisions and using resources instantly…. We want you to promote the officers for your future leadership (in Bangladesh Army) through neutral evaluation," she said.

Describing the Bangladesh Army as the vigilant sentinels of the country's independence and sovereignty, the PM said Bangladesh doesn't want to engage in a war with anyone as it believes in peace. "A peaceful environment is a prerequisite for development," she said.

PM Hasina said the army has been playing a praiseworthy role by standing beside the people in any disaster and critical times. "Our patriotic army always stands by the people of the country," she said.

She said the Bangladesh Army has been playing a big role also in the infrastructural development of Bangladesh. They are working in implementation of many large projects, maintaining the proper quality of works and specific timeframes, she continued.

She stressed that the public trust and confidence is the most important thing for any armed force.

She said the independence and sovereignty of a country can't be protected without the public trust and confidence. "The people have trust and confidence in our army," she said.

"Our army is of the people. You will have to keep it in mind," she said.

Lauding the Bangladeshi troops for their role in the United Nations peacekeeping missions, she said the Bangladeshi peacekeepers are gaining a huge acclamation from every country where they are working.

She said there is a humanitarian quality in the people of Bangladesh as they do humanitarian work going beyond their specific tasks. "Since they get engaged in social work, wherever they work they get enough respect and acclamation from the local people," she said.

The prime minister highlighted various steps taken by her government to modernise the armed forces from 1996-2001 and from 2009 till now.

Focusing on the progress Bangladesh has made since 2009, she said the country is advancing facing natural calamities and man-made disasters. Her government brought down the poverty rate to 18.6 percent from 41 percent and extreme poverty to 5.7 percent from 25.1 percent, she said.

She said her government brought cent percent houses under the electricity coverage in the country.

The PM asked all to exercise austerity in the use of electricity and boost food production amid the global crisis.