BOGURA, Feb 18: Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) announced its plan to develop its old air base in Bogura and establish a modern military drone manufacturing facility inside the base, a move officials say will significantly enhance the country's defence capability and lay the foundation for a domestic defence technology industry.
The project will be implemented with technical assistance from China under a government-to-government agreement signed on January 27 between BAF and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation International (CETC), according to officials familiar with the matter.
During the signing ceremony, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, the chief of air staff, said Bogura is intended to be developed as a key strategic hub for the air force.
Currently, the air base, established on 110 acres of land, has tower service and (non-directional beacon) NDB navigation. The runway will be renovated and expanded by 4,700-6,000 feet. As part of the plan, existing infrastructure will be upgraded and new capabilities for producing the drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will be established.
"The UAVs produced here will be highly advanced and suitable for military operations," the chief of air staff said at the signing ceremony held at Air Force Headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment.
Under the agreement, Bangladesh will set up a modern military drone manufacturing and assembly plant, initially focusing on MALE (Medium
Altitude Long Endurance) and VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) platforms.
Officials said the air force aims to acquire capabilities comparable to
well-known MALE-class attack drones such as Turkey's Bayraktar TB-2 and ANKA.
Such drones can remain airborne for extended periods and are used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; border monitoring;
strategic data collection and precision strikes, defence analysts say.
The development of a full-scale air base in Bogura is also expected to strengthen the air force's operational reach in the northwestern region, enabling faster deployment, enhanced training capacity and improved response during emergencies.
According to a statement on social media, BAF manufactured UAVs will play a significant role not only in military operations but also in humanitarian assistance and disaster management.
The agreement is expected to expand capacity targetting to achieve full self?reliance in domestic UAV production, meeting both national and international demand, the statement also said.
"At the same time, it will make a significant contribution to national technological advancement by developing a skilled aerospace workforce through specialised training, knowledge exchange, and capacity building," the statement added.
Md Mezbaul Karim, additional deputy commissioner (general) of Bogura, said the initiative would not only boost military strength but also help develop indigenous defence technology.
"This is being seen as a major step towards building a domestic defence technology industry," he said.
The announcement has renewed attention on Bogura airport, which has remained largely underutilised for decades.
The initiative to establish an airport there was first taken in 1987, but commercial flight operations never began.
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