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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said the government has no plan to stop training flights of the Bangladesh Air Force over Dhaka and other cities or build separate runways or air bases solely for training purposes.
He also informed Parliament that efforts are underway to modernise the country’s weather forecasting system to international standards and that initiatives have been taken to manufacture drones domestically to counter cyberattacks and emerging multidimensional threats.
The prime minister, who also serves as defence minister, made the remarks in written replies to lawmakers’ questions during the scheduled question-answer session on matters under the Ministry of Defence in Parliament on Wednesday (September 2).
In response to a question from reserved women’s seat-41 MP Mahfuza Hannan, Tarique said the Bangladesh Air Force is responsible for securing the country’s entire airspace and maintaining air defence.
Its role is particularly important in protecting key installations and infrastructure in Dhaka and other parts of the country.
He said maintaining air defence capabilities in Dhaka and other cities was essential. However, constructing separate air bases and runways would be costly and time-consuming.
Considering Bangladesh’s limited land resources and the need to make the best use of existing infrastructure, the government considers it more practical to properly utilise existing facilities rather than build separate runways solely for training, he said.
Responding to a question from Chattogram-12 MP Mohammad Enamul Haque, the prime minister acknowledged that climate change was contributing to an increase in natural disasters in South Asia but said it was not correct to claim that Bangladesh was lagging behind in weather forecasting.
He said the Bangladesh Meteorological Department was providing forecasts up to five to 10 days in advance using modern technology, along with warnings about cyclones, heavy rainfall, lightning and other disasters.
Efforts to further modernise and improve forecasting accuracy are continuing through expansion of observation networks, advanced data analysis and development of skilled manpower, he added.
In separate replies to questions from reserved women’s seat-2 MP Shirin Sultana and reserved women’s seat-10 MP Nilofer Chowdhury Moni, Tarique outlined the legal framework for defence modernisation and the participation of the armed forces in civilian activities.
In response to Shirin Sultana’s question, he said the armed forces’ cybersecurity policy was being reviewed to address multidimensional threats. Plans have also been taken to develop domestic drone manufacturing capabilities, while effective measures have been adopted to strengthen surveillance at sea.
In reply to Nilofer Chowdhury Moni, the prime minister said there were clear policies governing the participation of the armed forces in civilian activities.
He said under Article 126 of the Constitution, the armed forces assist in maintaining overall security during elections, while under the “In Aid to the Civil Power” guidelines, they directly support the civil administration during disasters and emergencies.
He added that the armed forces are given necessary legal powers to assist civilian authorities in maintaining law and order under Section 129 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
