Staff Correspondent

Deputy Commissioners (DCs) on Tuesday proposed the introduction of universal military training for youths, aiming to involve them in the country’s defence efforts.

The proposal was made during the DCs Conference at Osmani Auditorium in Dhaka in a session focused on the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces Division.

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Hafiz shared this information with journalists after the session.

He said that the DCs had raised questions on enhancing civil-military cooperation, asking whether the orientations that civil officers provided at the division level could be expanded to strengthen understanding between civil administrations and military forces.

The DCs also enquired about the possibility of arranging universal military training for the youth, where they could receive military training and actively contribute to the country’s defense, Lt Gen (retd) Hafiz added.
Hafiz also spoke about the discussions that had taken place regarding special operations in certain districts against terrorists.

The deputy commissioners had suggested that operations be conducted in remote or char areas, where a larger force might have been required or logistical challenges had to be addressed.

The meeting also discussed how the Bangladesh Navy could assist civil administrations in safeguarding resources in the country’s rivers, especially in anti-jhatka (hilsa fry) operations.

Abdul Hafiz mentioned concerns about the impact of the Kuki-Chin National Front’s terrorist activities in the hill tracts, which had severely disrupted the tourism industry in several districts. This disruption had led to unemployment among the local youths, pushing them towards terrorism.

The deputy commissioners had asked how to resolve this issue.

When asked about the proposed universal military training for youths, Abdul Hafiz said that through the Ansar VDP, training had already been provided in every union of each upazila.

One deputy commissioner had suggested expanding this programme, which would have required political decisions and financial considerations.

He added that if the government provides directions, the Armed Forces are ready to implement the plan.

Regarding the ongoing "Operation Devil Hunt," Abdul Hafiz said that nearly 6,000 weapons had been looted, and over three-fourths of them had been recovered. He considered this a major success, though 250,000 bullets were still to be recovered. He assured that the remaining weapons would be retrieved through ongoing operations.

He also addressed the situation in Narsingdi’s char areas, where terrorism had been increasing.

Seven army members have been killed and many others injured in the ongoing operation against the Kuki-Chin National Front, which would continue until the group is eliminated.