Lesson 1/34 min
Armed forces: army, navy and air force
21 November 1971, nine months into the Liberation War. The army, navy and air force launched joint operations together. That day is now Armed Forces Day.
The basic structure
- The President is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces
- Armed Forces Day is 21 November
- All three forces have their headquarters in Dhaka
The three forces at a glance
| Item | Army | Navy | Air Force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Dhaka Cantonment | Banani, Dhaka | Dhaka Cantonment |
| Rank of the chief | General | Admiral | Air Chief Marshal |
| Motto | In war, in peace, we are everywhere for our nation | Invincible at sea, in peace and in struggle | We shall keep the sky of Bengal free |
More facts
- The first chief of the air force was A. K. Khandker
- In 2017 two China-made submarines joined the navy: BNS Nabajatra and BNS Joyjatra
Training institutions
| Institution | Where |
|---|---|
| Military Academy | Bhatiary, Chattogram |
| Naval Academy | Patenga, Chattogram |
| Marine Academy | Juldia, Chattogram |
| Air Force Academy | Jashore |
Watch out: The two books disagree on a few points: the navy's first warship, the army's first general, and who founded the East Bengal Regiment. They are left out of this lesson and the quiz.
Check yourself
When is Armed Forces Day?
At a glance
- 1
21 November is Armed Forces Day; in 1971 the three forces began joint operations.
- 2
The Supreme Commander is the President; all three headquarters are in Dhaka, the navy's at Banani.
- 3
Rank of the chief: army General, navy Admiral, air force Air Chief Marshal.
- 4
Navy motto: “Shantite Sangrame Samudre Durjoy”; air force motto: “Banglar Akash Rakhibo Mukto”.
- 5
The first air force chief was A. K. Khandker.
- 6
In 2017 the submarines Nabajatra and Joyjatra joined the navy.