| Military branches | Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force; Ministry of Home Affairs: Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Bangladesh Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion, Ansars, Village Defense Party (VDP) (2021) note: the Rapid Action Battalion, Ansars, and VDP are paramilitary organizations for internal security |
| Military service age and obligation | 16-21 years of age for voluntary military service; Bangladeshi nationality and 10th grade education required; officers: 17-21 years of age, Bangladeshi nationality, and 12th grade education required (2018) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.3% of GDP (2019) 1.3% of GDP (2018) 1.2% of GDP (2017) 1.4% of GDP (2016) 1.4% of GDP (2015) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | information varies; approximately 165,000 total active personnel (135,000 Army; 15,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force) (2021) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the Bangladesh Defense Force inventory is comprised of mostly Chinese and Russian equipment; since 2010, China is the leading supplier of arms to Bangladesh; Bangladesh is currently undertaking a significant defense modernization program, with a focus on naval acquisitions (2020) |
| Military deployments | Bangladesh is one of the leading contributors to UN peacekeeping missions since it joined the UN in 1974; as of mid-2021, it had about 5,300 troops deployed, including: 1,225 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,400 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 115 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,330 Mali (MINUSMA); 1,450 South Sudan (UNMISS) ( mid-2021) |
| Maritime threats | the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Bangladesh remain a risk for armed robbery against ships; attacks increased in 2020 when four ships were boarded as opposed to no attacks in 2019 |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
