Para-Commando Brigade (Bangladesh)

Commando Company: The Commando qualified soldiers of the East Bengal Regiment formed commando companies in each Liberation War Sector of the Bangladesh Liberation Armed Forces during the Bangladesh Liberation War.They were highly trained and professional.They served as special warfare operators and gave support to the regular infantry soldiers of EBR , EPR and other regular forces of the Bangladesh Liberation Armed Forces. They conducted many raids and ambush at the very beginning of the war.They used to capture the armaments and logistics supplies of the Pakistan Army by these. They destroyed many roads and communication systems including bridges and electric communication systems.After getting the full strength of manpower and arms & ammunitions, they changed their strategy and started direct action including highly professional raid , ambush , Reconnaissance, air assault , airborne assault, man-hunt etc.[6][7]

At the eleventh hour of the war on 12th December 1971, the Bangladesh Special Forces soldiers of Liberation Armed Forces participated with the allied force in a great airborne assault at Tangail.[8][9]

Crack Platoon: Crack Platoon was a specialized urban warfare capable guerilla unit of Muktibahini during the liberation war of Bangladesh. The commando officer Major A.T.M Haider (a former SSG commando in Pakistan Army) formed this unit under the command of sector no-2. They successfully launched 82 special operations in Dhaka city during the Liberation war of Bangladesh.[10] [11] [12]

Bangladesh Army Para Commando troop at Victory Day Parade 2015

In 1976, special warfare wing was established at School of Infantry and Tactics in Jalalabad Cantonment, Sylhet. This was the first step towards the formation of a special force in Independent Bangladesh. In 1980, Army commando course and counter-insurgency course started at special warfare wing. In the same year, the Special Warfare Wing was expanded to special warfare school. The Army Airborne School was established in 1988 at Sylhet Cantonment under special warfare wing. In 1989, the first para training course was started at the special sarfare school.[4]

On 30 June 1992, the 1st Para Commando Battalion started its journey at Jalalabad Cantonment of Sylhet.[13] The flag of the battalion was raised in May 1993. On 1 June 2015, 1st Para Commando Battalion came out as a full-fledged regiment. After the formation of Para Commando Brigade on 4 September 2016, they started working under the command of the Brigade.

The battalion was awarded the national standard on 2 November 2017 as a recognition of their outstanding works.[14]

Bangladesh is participating in different UN peacekeeping missions since 1988. Currently, Bangladesh is one of the largest contributors of the UN peacekeeping operations. Bangladesh Army has deployed its Special Forces in various UN Peacekeeping and Peace Enforcement missions, notably in Ivory Coast, South Sudan, Darfur, Central African Republic, Haiti and Mali. These Special Forces detachments, using BANSF prefix, are often tasked with high risk rescue operations and raids against insurgents.[17][18][19]

Para Commandos in action during ''Operation Thunderbolt'' at Holey Artisan in Gulshan on the morning of 2 July 2016

On 1 July 2016, five assailants stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery with crude bombs, machetes, ak 22 rifle and pistols, in Dhaka's affluent neighborhood, Gulshan 2, which is extremely popular among expatriates and foreigners, at roughly 9:20 pm, taking hostage of the locals and foreigners inside.[20] Not realising the gravity of the situation, the initial assault to secure the premises, commenced by Dhaka Metropolitan Police, resulted in the casualties of two police officers in exchanging gunfire with the assailants. [21] However, Police and the Rapid Action Battalion acted with celerity in setting up a perimeter around the Bakery to block escape of any assailant.[22] After fruitless hours of seeking to bring a peaceful solution to the problem, when the perpetrators refused to communicate with authorities, the realisation set that alternative measures were required.[22]

At an early morning meeting on Saturday (2 July), the highest level of Government decided to engage the 1st Commando Battalion. They were flown in from Sylhet to carry out a counter-assault and free the hostages.[22][23] After gathering intelligence from RAB and the Police forces present on the ground, Commandos initiated their raid (codenamed "Operation Thunderbolt"), which began at 7:40 am and concluded at 8:30 am.[20][23] They were successfully able to free 13 hostages and kill the assailants.[23]

During the attack, 9 Italians, 7 Japanese, 2 Bangladeshis, 1 Indian, and 1 American were killed by the perpetrators.[20][22]

Para Commando Counter-Terrorism Members during Operation Twilight in Sylhet

On Thursday, 23 March 2017, the Bangladesh Police surrounded a suspected militant hideout in Dakshin Surma Upazila, Sylhet, Bangladesh. Later, a SWAT team joined the police unit from Dhaka.[24] The housing complex has two apartment buildings. The Police unit was reinforced with personal from Rapid Action Battalion on Friday.[25] On Saturday, the 1st Para Commando Battalion took charge of operations and named it Operation Twilight.[25]

Operation Twilight was launched by the 1st Para Commando Battalion of the adhoc para commando brigade of the Bangladesh Army under the command of GOC of 17th Infantry Division in Jalalabad Cantonment Major General Anwarul Momen.[26] The main gate of the building was blocked by the militants with a refrigerator with an IED attached to it.[27] The building had 30 apartments and 150 rooms, the militants were constantly changing their location.[28] The operation was launched on Saturday morning around 8am. The Commando unit was being assisted by SWAT and Bangladesh Police.[29] Security forces established a three kilometre perimeter around the militant hideout. The commandos rescued 78 civilians trapped in the building from Thursday.[30] Two militants were killed in the initial attack, one of who detonated a suicide vest. The militants had planted IEDs all over the building which slowed down the military operation.[31] Army spokesman, Brigadier General Fakhrul Ahsan, reported that the operation would take more time because of the presence of IEDs in "strategic points" in the building. The Bangladesh Army used RPGs and shells to drive the militants out without much success.[32] The commandos also used Armoured Personnel Carriers in the operation.[33] Finally four militants were found dead at the hideout.[34][35]

Bangladesh Special Forces(BANSF) members during the 'Operation Bekpa-2' anti-terrorism operation in Central African Republic

After the failure of two countries, Bangladesh Special Forces (BANSF) in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission has successfully launched an operation against rebel groups in the Central African Republic. Captain Tauquir Ahmed of BANSF-3 leads the bloody operation to free the area from rebel party UPC (United municipal La Péx en Centrifica) with an efficient leadership. At the same time, around 150 prisoners were rescued by the operation.[36]

On 24 February 2019, a Bangladeshi Boeing 737-800 aircraft was hijacked by a gunman on the air. The aircraft was landed to the Chittagong Airport as an emergency landing while it was going to Dubai from Dhaka. A gunman named Palash tried to hijack the aircraft. Though his intention was not clear the authority was trying to negotiate with him. But when everything was failed and then Government ordered the ParaCommando Brigade to Launch an operation. Paracommando brigade members came to the place and launched an operation. The commandos took only eight minutes to make a conclusion. As a result, the hijacker was shot dead by the commandos, 148 passengers and crew got free from the hostage situation.[37]