Professional Competence and Merit to be Basis for Promotion

According to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the only criteria for elevating Navy and Air Force officers would be professional competence and merit; political ideology or personal preferences will not be taken into account during the selection process. This statement was delivered on Sunday during the official opening of the ‘Navy and Air Force Selection Board-2026’ as the head of the Air Force Headquarters.

The late President Ziaur Rahman, previous PM Khaleda Zia, the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War, and everyone who died or was injured during the July-August 2024 public uprising were all honoured by the Prime Minister during the high-level ceremony. He gave board members clear instructions to assess qualified officers at top ranks in both branches of the military based on their leadership abilities, discipline, integrity, loyalty, dependability, and perfect fit for their particular duties.

The Prime Minister praised the Bangladesh Navy and Air Force for protecting national sovereignty, upholding internal stability, and supporting civil administration amid natural calamities as he concluded his speech. To support these strategic institutional directives, senior military leaders and government officials attended the proceedings, including the Defence Secretary, the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, the Prime Minister’s Defence Adviser, and the service chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.