The US government will provide the Bangladesh Armed Forces with more weapons and equipment to help defend its sovereignty, US Ambassador to Dhaka Peter Haas has announced.
Speaking at the Defence Services Command and Staff College last week, the American diplomat revealed that the South Asian nation will soon take delivery of more state-of-the-art drones and surface ships from Washington.
The new defense hardware will support UN peacekeeping and other missions in Bangladesh.
“Over the next year, we expect to deliver the highly capable Blackjack UAS [unmanned aerial system], 35-foot SAFE patrol boats, and additional Zodiac rigid hull boats,” Haas disclosed.
The announcement came just before the US expressed concern about recent reports of violence in Dhaka, saying the Bangladeshi government must investigate “thoroughly, transparently, and impartially.”
Bolstering Defense Ties
According to Haas, the US is one of the major countries to help boost Bangladesh’s defense capabilities through foreign military aid.
The US military regularly works with Bangladesh to strengthen its defense readiness and fortify their partnership, he said.
He added that the US has five goals for its Asian ally, including supporting a peaceful and stable nation, promoting democracy and human rights, and providing humanitarian protection.
Among the equipment delivered by the US to Dhaka were frigates, mine-resistant armored vehicles, and four C-130B tactical transport aircraft.
“This past year, we also delivered small UAS … [and] provided special operations units with modern weapons, ammunition, body armor, advanced radio systems, and first aid equipment,” Haas explained.