Border Guards Bangladesh

Bangladesh
বর্ডার গার্ড বাংলাদেশ

Flag of BGB
Active 1795–present
Country

East India Company
British Raj British India (1873-1947)
Pakistan Pakistan (1947–1971)

Bangladesh Bangladesh (1971–present)
Allegiance Bangladesh
Branch Border Guards
Type Paramilitary
Size 67,000+
BGB HQ Pilkhana
Nickname BGB
Patron President
Anniversaries 26 March
Engagements World War I
World War II
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Bangladesh Liberation War
2001 Bangladeshi-Indian border skirmish
Decorations 1. Bir Sreshtho
2. Bir Uttom
3. Bir Bikrom
4. Bir Protik
Website http://www.bgb.gov.bd
Commanders
Director General Major General Aziz Ahmed
Deputy Director General Brigadier General
Director (Ops & Trg) Colonel
Director (Admin) Colonel
Insignia
Identification
symbol

Border Guard Bangladesh or BGB (Bengali: বর্ডার গার্ড বাংলাদেশ) (formerly known as the Bangladesh Rifles[1]) is the oldest uniformed force in Bangladesh. It is a paramilitary force under the Ministry of Home Affairs. BGB is primarily responsible for the border security of the country, in Bangladesh the force is known as "The Vigilant Sentinels of the National Frontier".[2]

History

Border Guard Bangladesh as a paramilitary force, is entrusted with the responsibility to defend the 4,427 km border of the country. It is the first line of defence for the nation. BGB boasts an illustrious past with rich traditions and a remarkable military history spanning over two centuries. During peacetime this force is also responsible for anti-smuggling operations, investigating cross border crime and extending governmental authority to remote and isolated areas. From time to time BGB has also been called upon to assist the administration in the maintenance of internal law & order, relief and rehabilitation work after any kind of natural disaster. During wartime BGB comes under the control of the Ministry of Defence as an auxiliary force to Bangladesh Army.

Ramgarh Local Battalion (1795–1861)

The force was established in 29 June 1795 at the city of 'Ramgarh' consisting of 486 personnel as the “Frontier Protection Force” under the command of the East India Company. Later the force was converted into a paramilitary unit with its own name (Ramgarh Local Battalion) and uniform. At that time its primary responsibility was to suppress insurgent activities around the Ramgarh area. During 1799, the force established its first camp at Pilkhana, where the headquarters remain to this day. The camp unit then was known as “Special Reserve Company”.

Frontier Guards (1861–1891)

The Ramgarh Local Battalion was renamed as the 'Frontier Guards' and remained so for thirty years.

Bengal Military Police (1891–1919)

In 1891 the Frontier Guards were re-organized and re-equipped with modern weapons and renamed once again as the ‘Bengal Military Police’. Commanded by a Subedar (Senior Warrant Officer), the BMP had four companies located in Dhaka, Dhumka, and Gangtok. This force also participated in the First World War.

Eastern Frontier Rifles (1920–1947)

The BMP was reorganized yet once again and renamed as the ‘Eastern Frontier Rifles’ in 1920. Its primary task was to protect the borders. It also took part in numerous military operations during the Second World War.

East Pakistan Rifles (1947–1971)

After the partition of the Indian sub-continent ‘Eastern Frontier Rifles’ was re-grouped and renamed as the 'East Pakistan Rifles'. It was the primary border protection force of the then East Pakistan. A number of Metropolitan Armed Police of Calcutta and some 1,000 ex-soldiers of West Pakistan merged into this force. Officers from the army were transferred to command and reorganize EPR. In 1958, it was also assigned the anti-smuggling duties on top of its primary role as the border guards. In 1965 India Pakistan war this force fought valiantly and successfully in a number of skirmishes in Lathitila, Dohogram, Laksmipur, Assalong and Boroibari. Major Tufail Mohammad was awarded the highest military award of erstwhile Pakistan, ‘Nishan-e-Haider’, for his action in the Laksmipur Operation. The strength of the force was 13,454 during March 1971.

Bangladesh Rifles (Bangladesh Liberation War 1971–2010)

A Bangladesh Rifles Senior Warrant Officer (left in yellow/green outfit) applies a mechanical advantage control/hold to a US Marine during training.

During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 nearly nine thousand of its members took up arms against the brutal crackdown of the Pakistan Army upon the call of the Declaration of Independence of Bangladesh on the 26th March 1971 at Kalurghat Radio Station, Chittagong. Eight hundred and seventeen of those were known to be killed in action. During the war, members of the EPR were the first to respond against the Pakistan Army, move to Sholashahar and the Cantonment informing all Bengali soldiers to join them. The E.P.R. Officers captured and executed all Pakistani Officers,their wives and children and moved forward. On 26 March, Pakistan Army sent troops . The E.P.R. ambushed them but the Pakistanis managed to encircle them. Resultantly E.P.R. took heavy losses by the hands of Pakistan Army at Kumira. According to Captain Rafiq, "This ambush by the E.P.R. troops at Kumira was the first direct action against the enemy in the history of our liberation war."[3]

On 26 March 1971, declaration of independence also stimulated Rifles' members participation in the liberation struggle right from its inception. At the final Bangladesh Forces Sector Commanders Conference presided over by General M. A. G. Osmani.

At the time, East Pakistan Rifles was the border security and anti-smuggling organisation. It was commanded by the Junior Commissioned Officers at the company level as all the companies of EPR were situated within 5 miles of the international boundary. There used to be only 2 Commissioned officers from the Pakistan Army to each Wing of EPR (the present-day Battalions were called Wings). In the month of March 1971, there were 12 EPR wings.

The main revolt by the EPR was led by the company commanders, the subedar, namely:

During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 nearly nine thousand of its members took up arms against the brutal genocide of Pakistan Army. Eight hundred and seventeen of those were known to be killed in action.

On January 29, 1972, the East Pakistan Rifles was renamed the Bangladesh Rifles.

2001 Bangladeshi-Indian border conflict

The 2001 Indian–Bangladeshi border conflict took place in the third week of April 2001 between companies of the Bangladesh Rifles and the Indian Border Security Force on the poorly marked international border between the two countries. This was the worst armed conflict Bangladesh was involved in since Independence.

The April 16–19 fighting took place around the village of Padua (known as Pyrdiwah in India), which adjoins the Indian state of Meghalaya and the Timbil area of the Bangladesh border in the Sylhet district. In that area, 6.5 kilometres of the border have remained in dispute for the past 30 years.

The trigger for the clash appears to have been an attempt by Indian forces to construct a footpath from an army outpost in Padua across a disputed territory some 300 metres wide to Indian Meghalaya. On April 15, 2001, the BDR attacked and captured Pyrdiwah village. Both sides later descalated and returned to the original positions on the border.

This incident left 16 Indian Border Security Force paramilitary men dead and 3 Border Guards Bangladesh men dead with 5 other BGB troops injured.[4]

February 2009 Mutiny

On 25 February 2009, regular BDR soldiers mutinied against their officers who were seconded from the Bangladesh Army and killed many senior officers, killing almost the entire higher echelon of the command structure (about 57 Army officers who were present in the Bangladesh Rifles’ headquarters in the capital Dhaka), including the Director General of BDR. The soldiers mutinied due to reasons which largely remain unknown, though some are attributed to conspiracies, both from inside and outside the country.[5][6][7][8]

After 30 hours, being surrounded by Bangladesh Army tanks, the mutineers surrendered with about 6000 of them taken under arrest, ending the mutiny.[9]

In the aftermath Bangladesh Rifles was reorganized with fresh recruits. The organization is still managed by commissioned officers seconded from the Bangladesh Army.

Border Guard Bangladesh (2010–onward)

The Bangladesh Rifles have gone through some fundamental changes since 2010. It was officially renamed as Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on January 23, 2011 and reorganized with fresh recruits. With a current strength is 67,000+ structured along 61 battalions and numerous border outposts (B.O.P.), mostly along the borders. Administration and most of the officer corps are trained and deputed from the Bangladesh Army however there are around 100 officers promoted from within the force itself.

2014 Bangladeshi-Myanmar border skirmish

On May 28, during a routine patrol of the BGB, in Bandarban District along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, Myanmar Border Police opened indiscriminate firing on the BGB patrol. The incident took the life of Border Guard Corporal Mizanur Rahman 43. The body of the slain soldier was then carried over the border by Myanmar Border Police. On May 30 upon request of the Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh a BGB team was waiting near border pillar no. 52 for identification of the dead body which was proposed by the Myanmar side. However, to the complete surprise of the BGB, Myanmar border forces suddenly started firing on the waiting BGB team without any provocation resulting in the BGB team returning fire. Both sides descalated and agreed to a cease fire and on the following day Myanmar returned the dead body of BGB Corporal Mizanur Rahman. Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had protested strongly to the Burmese ambassador over the unprovoked eruption of gunfire by Burmese border troops.

Decorations

The then East Pakistan Rifles, joined the Bangladesh War of Independence on the side of Mukti Bahini in 1971. One hundred and forty one members earned gallantry awards for their outstanding contribution to the liberation war of Bangladesh.

Naik Nur Mohammad Sheikh and Naik Munshi Abdur Rouf posthumously earned the Bir Sreshtha, which is the highest gallantry award of the nation.

8 earned the Bir Uttom.

40 earned the Bir Bikram and 91 earned the Bir Protik awards.

After independence, on 3 March 1972 the force had been renamed as Bangladesh Rifles. As a mark of recognition for the courage and bravery of its members, BDR introduced 'Bangladesh Rifles Podok' in 1985 and President Rifles podok’ in 1989. So far, 21 members had received the 'Bangladesh Rifles Podok' and 29 had received the ‘President Rifles Podok’.

Responsibilities

Organization

The BGB is commanded by a Major General. The BGB administration and most of the officer corps are trained and deputed from the Bangladesh Army. There are, however, around 100 officers who are promoted from within the force itself. They can be promoted as high as Deputy Director (D.D) which is equivalent to the rank of Lt. Colonel and Assistant Director(A.D) equivalent to the rank of major and Deputy Assistant Director(D.A.D) equivalent to the rank of Captain in Bangladesh Army . Its current strength is 67,000+ structured along 61 battalions and numerous border outposts (B.O.P.), mostly along the borders.

BGB is organized into a central headquarters and 4 regional headquarters. Under the regional headquarters there are 16 sectors. Each sector is commanded by a Colonel.

Equipment

Name Type Caliber Notes
Type 92 Semi-automatic pistol 9mm Standard issue sidearm.
Type 54 Semi-automatic pistol 7.62mm Chinese version of Soviet Tokarev TT-33 in service with all branches of armed, para-military and law enforcement services.
BD-08 Assault rifle 7.62mm Produced under license by BOF.
Type 85 Sniper rifle 7.62mm
BD-08 Light machine gun 7.62mm Produced under license by BOF.
Bren Gun Light machine gun 7.62mm
Rheinmetall MG 3 General purpose machine gun 7.62mm
Type 63-1 Mortar 60 mm Being replaced by Type 93.
M 29A1 Mortar 81mm
Otokar Cobra LAV A 4x4 wheeled LAV. 17 Received in 2008. 7 are in use with Bangladesh Police since 2007.
Akshay class Coastal Patrol Craft 1 ship (BGB Shah Jalal)

References

  1. ↑ "Bangladesh Rifles to get new name". BBC News. 1 March 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bangladesh
  3. ↑ (Major Rafiq: A Tale of Millions, Page 56 and Aberar Shongram Shadhinotar Shongram, P:135, by: Lieutenant Colonel Abu Osman Chowdhury)
  4. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1284789.stm
  5. ↑ http://www.bangladeshchronicle.net/index.php/2013/02/pilkhana-massacre-collaborator-mixes-in-the-crowd
  6. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7910837.stm
  7. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12123651
  8. ↑ http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/02/25/bangladesh.gunbattle/index.html
  9. ↑ "Human Rights Watch Report on Bangladesh Rifles Mutiny Trial". Human Rights Watch. 4 July 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2014.