Bangladesh Military Academy
Encyclopedia
Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA) is the prestigious training institute for the officer cadets of Bangladesh Army
. It is located in Bhatiary, near Chittagong HIll Tracts
, in the Chittagong District
of south-east Bangladesh
. The Academy is nestled on the slopes of the Sitakunda
hill ranges and also washed by the Bay of Bengal. BMA occupies a picturesque and tranquil terrain at Bhatiary, a small coastal township about 13 kilometres north of port city Chittagong. The Academy was initially raised at Comilla Cantonment on 29 November 1973 and later relocated at Bhatiary in 1976. This Academy was awarded National Standard in the year 1979. This academy is one of the best military academies in the world. Bangladesh Military Academy is similar in function to Sandhurst
, Saint-Cyr
or West point and provides training to the officers of Bangladesh Army. The officers of Bangladesh Navy and Air-force must take three months training from this academy and It started from the year of 1983.
in the Bangladesh Liberation War
of 1971, Bangladesh Military Academy was established in Comilla
on 11 January 1974, for training of officers of the Army. The Academy chose a verse by national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam
, Chiro Unnata Momo Shir (translation: ever high is my head) as its motto. The Academy was moved to its current location in Bhatiary in 1976. Regular long courses commenced from 1978. The first batch of officers of Bangladesh Army graduated from the academy in 1975.
A gentleman/gentlewoman cadet shall lead a life of honour and integrity.
a. Long Course - 104 weeks.
b. BMA Special Regular Course - 23 weeks.
c. Basic Military Training Course - 23 weeks.
d. Joint Services Course - 10 weeks (Bangladesh Navy cadets and Bangladesh Air Force cadets).
e. Short Service Commission - 49 weeks
f. Graduate Course - 49 weeks
g. Direct Short Service Commission - 23 weeks
h. Potential Platoon Commanders Course - 05 weeks.
j. Drill Instructor Course - 07 weeks.
k. BCS Officers Orientation Course weeks (01 week in BMA) - 05 weeks.
l. Pre-Commission Training - BNCC - 08 weeks.
Besides, BMA has also trained overseas cadets namely from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia, Maldives, Palestine , Singapore and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
a. Exercise Padakkhep(Onward March)- 1. To enhance the physical and mental endurance of cadets/ trainee officers in forced march in a difficult terrain.
b. Exercise Padakkhep(Onward March) - 2. To enhance the physical and mental endurance of cadets in forced march in x-country route/ terrain.
c. Exercise Dhumketu. To impart practical lesson to the cadets/ trainee officers in planning, preparation and conduct of raids.
d. Exercise Purbakon. To impart practical lesson to the cadets/ trainee officers on planning, preparation and conduct of ambush.
e. Exercise Lauhakapat. To impart practical lesson to the cadets on the technique and mechanism of positional defense at company level within the frame work of an Infantry Battalion.
f. Exercise Ronoghati. To impart practical lesson to the cadets in the application of principles, mechanism and conduct of day advance and attack at company level with special emphasis on platoon activities.
g. Exercise Lalghora(Red Horse). To impart practical lesson to the cadets in the technique of conducting minor operations behind enemy lines without being supplied and support from own side.
h. Exercise Kashti Pathor. To impart practical lesson to the cadets/ trainee officers in all type of major operations of war.
i. Weapon Training. To impart practical knowledge on handling and use of various types of weapon and develop firing efficiency.
j. Physical Training. To attain the highest standard of physical efficiency.
k. Signal Training. To impart working knowledge on wireless and signal equipment.
l. Engineer Training. To impart basic knowledge on field engineering.
m. Computer Training. To impart first hand knowledge on computer handling including MS word, Power Point and use of internet.
Academic Training. This training is mainly conducted to prepare the cadets of long courses for qualifying in the Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Science (Pass Course) examinations. Besides, the academic training also aimed at developing communication skill both in English and Bangla through oral and written expression, create awareness of current national, regional and international affairs, widen mental horizon and sense of reasoning.
Training Visits. Training visits are conducted for the final term cadets in each term.
"Publications"
BMA has two publications namely CHIRO UNNOTO MOMO SHIR (EVER HIGH IS MY HEAD) is BMA magazine and PADAKHKHEP (ONWARD MARCH)a professional journal. Both the publications published once in a year.
1st Bangladesh Battalion.
1st Bangladesh Battalion consists of four companies:
BMA provides all round training for a cadet in each and every aspect.
Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army is the land forces branch and the largest of the three uniformed service of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities in support of Bangladesh's security and defense strategies including defense of the nation's...
. It is located in Bhatiary, near Chittagong HIll Tracts
Chittagong Hill Tracts
The Chittagong Hill Tracts comprise an area of 13,295 km2 in south-eastern Bangladesh, and borders India and Myanmar . It was a single district of Bangladesh until 1984. In that year it was divided into three separate districts: Khagrachari, Rangamati and Bandarban. Topographically, this is the...
, in the Chittagong District
Chittagong District
Chittagong District is a district located in the south-eastern region of Bangladesh. It is a part of the Chittagong Division. The port city of Chittagong, second largest city in Bangladesh, is located in this district.-History:...
of south-east Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. The Academy is nestled on the slopes of the Sitakunda
Sitakunda Upazila
Sitakunda is an upazila, or administrative unit, in the Chittagong District of Bangladesh. It includes one urban settlement, the Sitakunda Town, and 10 unions, the lowest of administrative units in Bangladesh. It is one of the 14 upazilas, the second tier of administrative units, of the Chittagong...
hill ranges and also washed by the Bay of Bengal. BMA occupies a picturesque and tranquil terrain at Bhatiary, a small coastal township about 13 kilometres north of port city Chittagong. The Academy was initially raised at Comilla Cantonment on 29 November 1973 and later relocated at Bhatiary in 1976. This Academy was awarded National Standard in the year 1979. This academy is one of the best military academies in the world. Bangladesh Military Academy is similar in function to Sandhurst
Sandhurst
Sandhurst is a small town and civil parish in England of 7,966 homes and 20,803 inhabitants , primarily domiciliary in nature with a few light industries...
, Saint-Cyr
Saint-Cyr
The toponym Saint-Cyr refers to the popular child-saint Saint Quiricus , whose following was strong in France because relics were brought back from Antioch by the 4th-century Bishop Saint Amator of Auxerre...
or West point and provides training to the officers of Bangladesh Army. The officers of Bangladesh Navy and Air-force must take three months training from this academy and It started from the year of 1983.
History
Following the independence of Bangladesh with the break-up of PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
of 1971, Bangladesh Military Academy was established in Comilla
Comilla
Comilla is a city in south-eastern Bangladesh, located along the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. It is the administrative center of the Comilla District, part of the Chittagong Division. The Eastern Wing of Bangladesh Highway Police is located in Comilla....
on 11 January 1974, for training of officers of the Army. The Academy chose a verse by national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam , sobriquet Bidrohi Kobi, was a Bengali poet, musician and revolutionary who pioneered poetic works espousing intense spiritual rebellion against fascism and oppression. His poetry and nationalist activism earned him the popular title of Bidrohi Kobi...
, Chiro Unnata Momo Shir (translation: ever high is my head) as its motto. The Academy was moved to its current location in Bhatiary in 1976. Regular long courses commenced from 1978. The first batch of officers of Bangladesh Army graduated from the academy in 1975.
A gentleman/gentlewoman cadet shall lead a life of honour and integrity.
Training
BMA has tri-dimensional training system encompassing military training, academic enrichment and character building. The Academy primarily provides training to Gentlemen and Gentlewomen cadets for grant of commission in Bangladesh Army. In addition, this Academy also conducts Orientation Course for Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) officers, officer cadests and mid-shipmen of the Bangladesh Air Force and Navy respectively, and Pre-Commission Training for professor/teacher under officers of Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC). Long Course cadets graduating from this Academy fall under Bangladesh University of Professionals(BUP)curriculum.To foster and inculcate those attributes in a Gentleman Cadet (GC) which will ensure his continuous and progressive development as a regular officer in the Bangladesh Army. To develop future officers for the Bangladesh Army by training the Gentleman Cadets in a way that they can make decisions as and when required by the military profession. BMA is contributing a lot for making the future leaders of Bangladesh Army.Training Course
The training courses run at BMA are as followa. Long Course - 104 weeks.
b. BMA Special Regular Course - 23 weeks.
c. Basic Military Training Course - 23 weeks.
d. Joint Services Course - 10 weeks (Bangladesh Navy cadets and Bangladesh Air Force cadets).
e. Short Service Commission - 49 weeks
f. Graduate Course - 49 weeks
g. Direct Short Service Commission - 23 weeks
h. Potential Platoon Commanders Course - 05 weeks.
j. Drill Instructor Course - 07 weeks.
k. BCS Officers Orientation Course weeks (01 week in BMA) - 05 weeks.
l. Pre-Commission Training - BNCC - 08 weeks.
Besides, BMA has also trained overseas cadets namely from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia, Maldives, Palestine , Singapore and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Training Activities
Tactical Training. This includes lecture, tutorial discussion, model discussion, tactical exercise without troops, demonstration and field training exercise on all types of major and minor operations of war. The field training exercise are as under :a. Exercise Padakkhep(Onward March)- 1. To enhance the physical and mental endurance of cadets/ trainee officers in forced march in a difficult terrain.
b. Exercise Padakkhep(Onward March) - 2. To enhance the physical and mental endurance of cadets in forced march in x-country route/ terrain.
c. Exercise Dhumketu. To impart practical lesson to the cadets/ trainee officers in planning, preparation and conduct of raids.
d. Exercise Purbakon. To impart practical lesson to the cadets/ trainee officers on planning, preparation and conduct of ambush.
e. Exercise Lauhakapat. To impart practical lesson to the cadets on the technique and mechanism of positional defense at company level within the frame work of an Infantry Battalion.
f. Exercise Ronoghati. To impart practical lesson to the cadets in the application of principles, mechanism and conduct of day advance and attack at company level with special emphasis on platoon activities.
g. Exercise Lalghora(Red Horse). To impart practical lesson to the cadets in the technique of conducting minor operations behind enemy lines without being supplied and support from own side.
h. Exercise Kashti Pathor. To impart practical lesson to the cadets/ trainee officers in all type of major operations of war.
i. Weapon Training. To impart practical knowledge on handling and use of various types of weapon and develop firing efficiency.
j. Physical Training. To attain the highest standard of physical efficiency.
k. Signal Training. To impart working knowledge on wireless and signal equipment.
l. Engineer Training. To impart basic knowledge on field engineering.
m. Computer Training. To impart first hand knowledge on computer handling including MS word, Power Point and use of internet.
Academic Training. This training is mainly conducted to prepare the cadets of long courses for qualifying in the Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Science (Pass Course) examinations. Besides, the academic training also aimed at developing communication skill both in English and Bangla through oral and written expression, create awareness of current national, regional and international affairs, widen mental horizon and sense of reasoning.
Training Visits. Training visits are conducted for the final term cadets in each term.
"Publications"
BMA has two publications namely CHIRO UNNOTO MOMO SHIR (EVER HIGH IS MY HEAD) is BMA magazine and PADAKHKHEP (ONWARD MARCH)a professional journal. Both the publications published once in a year.
Affiliation
The Academy provides a two year academic programme combined with intense military training. It is affiliated with the Bangladesh University of Professionals and provides 3 year Bachelors degrees. Every cadet has to study Military Science in this institution. They've to learn every thing practically.Facilities
The Academy has number of facilities required for Military Academies of international repute, which include Firing range, Firing Simulator, Battle Inoculation Range, Assault Course range, Ambush filed, Model Room for Tactical studies, Olympic Grade Swimming pool, Rappeling Tower, Horse Riding ground, Language Lab, Library, Sports facilities, Indoor PT Shed etc. The academy is also fitted with its own Masjid including for cadets from different religious backgrounds. The academy has one battalion:1st Bangladesh Battalion.
1st Bangladesh Battalion consists of four companies:
- Jahangir Company
- Rouf Company
- Hamid Company
- Mostofa Comppany
BMA provides all round training for a cadet in each and every aspect.
External links
- Detailed information and photos on the Bangladesh Military Academy (BDMilitary.com)
- Article on Bangladesh Military Academy, BanglapediaBanglapediaBanglapedia, or the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh, is the first Bangladeshi encyclopedia. It is available in print, CD-ROM format and online, in both Bangla and English. The print version comprises ten 500-page volumes...