Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is a
paramilitary force in Bangladesh. Mainly associated with
guarding the borders of the country, this force is known
by the Bangladeshi as "The Vigilant Sentinels of Our
National Frontier". The British had first organized the
Ramgarh Local Battalion in 1795 by recruiting the native
population. The battalion was succeeded by the Eastern
Frontier Rifles, which guarded the frontier from 1891 to
1920, when it was disbanded. Border duties were assumed by
the East Pakistan Rifles after the partition, after the
independence of Bangladesh EPR became Bangladesh Rifles
and finally after the mutiny of BDR it came to be known as
BGB.
Apart from its primary task of protecting the borders, the
members of Border Guard Bangladesh have taken part in
other military operations. This force was vested with the
additional task of checking smuggling in 1958. Its members
took up arms in an organized manner against the Pakistan
Army during the liberation war of 1971. Several members
earned gallantry awards - for example, Lance Naik Nur
Mohammad Sheikh and Lance Naik Munshi Abdur Rouf earned
the highest gallantry award, the Bir Sreshtha; 8 others
were awarded the Bir Uttam, 40 other the, Bir Bikram and
91 the Bir Patik.
The BGB is headed by a Director General. The BGB
administration and almost all its officers are Bangladesh
Army officers.There are however, around 100 officers from
BGB troops who rose to the rank of officers. They can be
promoted as high as Deputy Director equivalent to Colonel
in the Army. Its total manpower is 40,000, organized into
a central headquarters, 14 sectors, battalions and border
outposts, mainly along the borders.
Editor & CEO- Shermin Naz Khan Opi
info@countrybangladesh.com
and
yourbangla@yahoo.com