Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday called upon the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel to discharge duties with patriotism, honesty and discipline.
"My expectation to you (BGB personnel) is that you will discharge your responsibilities with patriotism, honesty and discipline," she said.
The premier made this call while addressing the BGB Day-2021 ceremony at the paramilitary forces headquarters here as the chief guest, joining virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.
She also urged the border security force to keep in mind that discipline and chain of command is the key to a disciplined force.
"Never be undisciplined...comply with the chain of command," she said, mentioning that the duty of the disciplined force is to follow the orders of the authorities.
Apart from performing duties along the borders, Sheikh Hasina said BGB's one of the responsibilities is to assist the administration in maintaining the domestic law and order situation.
In this connection, she said BGB's role in maintaining law and order and nation building at different times and parliamentary elections, city corporation elections and local government polls have been appreciated by all.
She expressed her hope that BGB as the modern border guard force will move forward towards its desired goal envisioned by Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
"BGB will continue its progress as 'ever vigilant sentinels of the border' being a symbol of confidence of the people of Bangladesh," she expected.
On behalf of the prime minister, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan handed over the BGB Medal, President Border Guard Service Medal and BGB Medal- Service to eight members of the BGB for their courageous and brilliant contribution to different activities of the force. .
Sheikh Hasina also inaugurated the newly constructed Border Conference Centre on the occasion.
The prime minister said Bangladesh is now role model in the world in socio- economic development, as it has revolutionized electricity, communications,
information technology and agriculture sectors while emerged as a developing country from the least developed one.
Mentioning that Bangladesh is implementing the "Delta Plan-2100", she said the present government is committed to building a hunger-poverty-free and
developed-prosperous "Sonar Bangla" as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for the next generation.
Recalling the contribution of the BGB (erstwhile EPR) to the Liberation War, Sheikh Hasina said the Father of the Nation declared Bangladesh's
Independence soon after Pakistani occupation force started genocide on March 25, 1971.
Subedar Major Shawkat Ali and three other members of the then EPR had spread the message (the Declaration of the Independence) to the police
stations and thana throughout the country, she said, adding that the EPR major and members had earlier been waiting with wireless sets for the message as per the directive of the Father of the Nation.
She said then the message was sent from the police stations to the leaders of Sangram Parishads formed earlier across the country as per the directive of Bangabandhu. Thus the message reached the grassroots level throughout the country, she said.
"So, this force (EPR) had a special role in Freedom Struggle, the Liberation War and the Declaration of Independence, which we always
remember," said the prime minister.
The head of the government said the Father of the Nation renamed the then EPR as BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) on March 3, 1972 after the independence of the country.
She added Bangabandhu took salute at the concluding parade of the 1st batch of BDR on January 8, 1973 at Peelkhana and had undertaken development activities to turn it into a modern force.
She continued that her government has reorganized this force after enacting "Border Guard Bangladesh Act-2010" and has been taking and
implementing a comprehensive plan to build BGB as a modern and up-to-date force.
In order to make the force more dynamic, she said, BGB's jurisdiction across the country has been reshaped and divided into five regions under the command of five additional directors general.
Sheikh Hasina stated that "Border Guard Bangladesh Vision 2041" has been adopted to transform the force into a modern border guard one, saying plans have already been taken to increase its members to 92,000 by 2041.
She said BGB has been transformed into a "three-dimensional forces" through the introduction of an air wing with induction of two modern Mi-171E helicopters following the expansion of its activities more than ever before.
The border security force is now capable of carrying out its duties on water, land and air, she added.
As part of modernization of this force, the premier said her government has installed and expanded Smart Digital Surveillance and Tactical Response
System in the vulnerable border to ensure surveillance and tackle inter- country terrorism.
She added that her government has incorporated 12 armoured personnel carriers (APCs), 10 riot control vehicles, 247 All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs),
12 high-powered speed boats, two vehicle X-ray scanner machines along with 14 modern and up-to-date anti-tank guided weapons to BGB's organizational structure.
In order to ensure the participation of women alongside men in the mworkplace, she said, a total of 818 female soldiers have been recruited in
the BGB with 9 regular batches since 2015.
She continued the female personnel have successfully joined the unit at the end of their basic training and are performing their duties alongside
their male fellows.
She went on saying that a total of 62 BOPs, including four battalions at the India and Myanmar border with Bangladesh and two floating BOPs in the
Sundarbans, have been deployed and those border areas have already been brought under surveillance.
In addition, work is underway to create 242 new BOPs and relocate 126 BOPs near the border, she added.
Noting that training is crucial for the professional forces, the prime minister said BGB has only one training center and college which is located
at Baitul Izzat, Chattogram.
That is why her government has taken initiative to establish another 'Border Guard Training Center and College' in Chuadanga district and its
works is underway, she said.
Despite various limitations, she said BGB's success in protecting the border and preventing smuggling and trafficking of women and children is
commendable.
In the last one year, the BGB's operations have been able to seize drugs worth around Taka 850 crore and various types of smuggled goods worth Taka 600 crore.
Sheikh Hasina also highlighted that her government has constructed 113 infrastructures including new quarters for new members, bungalows, soldier's barracks, modern BoPs, office buildings, water reservoirs, water treatment plants etc.
She said a new state-of-the-art facility called "Border Conference Center"
at Peelkhana, Dhaka along with four new barracks has been constructed while building of a hangar at Chattogram Airport for the newly inducted BGB Air Wing is underway.
She added since 2009, a total of 45,373 BGB members have been promoted to various posts while ration facilities and spice allowances for BGB members have increased many times than before.
In order to enable BGB personnel to continue smooth life even after retirement, she said works are on to provide lifetime ration facility to two-
member of families of retired BGB members.
On the occasion, a smartly turned out contingent of BGB gave the salute to the premier, staging a spectacular parade.
