Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has instructed the selection boards to prioritize professional competence, leadership qualities, discipline, honesty, loyalty and suitability for appointment when considering promotions for officers of the Bangladesh Navy and Air Force, rather than political ideology or personal preferences.
He made the remarks on Sunday (August 23) while inaugurating the Navy and Air Force Selection Board-2026 at the Air Headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment.
The prime minister urged members of the selection boards to rise above political affiliations and personal likes and dislikes when evaluating officers.
He said the Bangladesh Navy and Air Force have made important contributions not only to protecting the country's independence and sovereignty but also to maintaining internal peace and stability and assisting the civilian administration during disasters.
Tarique Rahman expressed his appreciation to the chiefs and all members of the two forces for their sacrifices and service to the country.
At the beginning of his speech, the prime minister paid tribute to Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.
He also remembered with respect those who were killed during the 1971 Liberation War, as well as those who died during the 2024 mass uprising and in various movements for democracy and people's rights between 1971 and 2024.
He expressed gratitude to all freedom fighters, including those who were killed or wounded during the Liberation War, and particularly honored the members of the armed forces who sacrificed their lives.
Following the selection board ceremony, the prime minister visited several important operational and research facilities of the Bangladesh Air Force.
He unveiled the commemorative plaque for the Air Defence System Integration (ADSI) facility at the Air Defence Operations Centre in Dhaka Cantonment and inspected its air-defence operations.
He also visited the Air Command Operations Centre (ACOC), where he observed fighter aircraft interception operations through a digital large display. He also watched a live drone feed from Chattogram showing troops being deployed from helicopters.
Later, he visited the Aerospace Research and Development Complex and reviewed various research activities.
During the visit, the Air Force displayed several unmanned aerial vehicles developed with its own technological capabilities, including:
He expressed hope that the development of these advanced aerial systems using domestic technological capabilities would represent an important step forward for the Bangladesh Air Force in research, innovation and technological self-reliance.
Earlier in the morning, Tarique Rahman was welcomed at the venue by his Defence Adviser Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr AKM Shamsul Islam, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Navy Chief Admiral Khondkar Misbah-ul-Azim and Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan.
