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Bangladesh Defense
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Saif
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Saif
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Saif
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Chinese technicians have visited Bangladesh to repair and upgrade the Bangladesh Army's armored fleet, including T-59 tanks, with activities scheduled around January 2026 at the Chariya field firing range in Chittagong. This follows reports of technical issues with Chinese-supplied military hardware. Bangladesh is heavily reliant on China for defense procurement, including VT-5 light tanks and MBT-2000 main battle tanks.
Key Aspects of the Technical Visit & Defense Ties:
Key Aspects of the Technical Visit & Defense Ties:
- Targeted Upgrades: The technicians were requested to address repairs for T-59 tanks, particularly one involved in a firing exercise accident on May 4, 2024.
- Technical Support: The team is tasked with enhancing the operational capabilities of the armored vehicles, which are heavily supplied by Chinese defense firm NORINCO.
- Strategic Cooperation: This visit occurs amid broader military cooperation, with Bangladesh having ordered 44 VT5 light tanks and using Chinese-made FM-90 surface-to-air missile systems.
- Industry Links: The maintenance is coordinated with companies having strong links to Chinese state-owned defense firms.
This move is part of the ongoing modernization of the Bangladesh Army's capabilities using Chinese technology.
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Chinese โtechniciansโ arrive in Bangladesh to upgrade Armyโs armoured fleet: Intel - The CSR Journal
Twelve Chinese technician have arrived Bangladesh to carry out upgradation & repair work on Chinese-origin battle tanks.
thecsrjournal.in
Chinese โtechniciansโ arrive in Bangladesh to upgrade Armyโs armoured fleet: Intel
Published By - Ujjal Roy
Twelve Chinese โtechniciansโ have arrived in Bangladesh to carry out upgradation and repair work on Chinese-origin battle tanks operated by the Bangladesh Army, according to intelligence agencies based in Dhaka. The technicians arrived in two batches on January 12 and 13 and were initially taken to the Rajendrapur Cantonment before being moved to Chittagong.
The first batch consisted of seven technicians, while the second included five specially qualified machinists. Bangladesh Army sources said the team will visit the Chariya field firing range in Chittagong to observe tank trials and subsequently undertake necessary upgrades and repair work on several armoured platforms currently in service.
Tanks under inspection
The armoured vehicles identified for inspection and repair include the Chinese-origin T-59 Durjoy, T-69-IIG, MBT-2000 (VT-1A) main battle tanks, and the VT-5 light tank. The T-59 Durjoy is a heavily modernised version of the original T-59, featuring a new turret, a 125-mm gun, and upgraded electronic systems.
The T-69-IIG tanks are equipped with enhanced Chinese components, while the MBT-2000 (VT-1A), inducted by Bangladesh in 2011, is considered a versatile main battle tank. The VT-5 is a comparatively newer Chinese light tank that has been inducted into the Bangladesh Army in recent years.
Background of tank inductions
According to an officer from an intelligence wing, Bangladesh ordered 44 MBT-2000 (VT-1A) tanks from China in 2011, with deliveries carried out in phases beginning in early 2013 over a period of 27 months.
The T-59 tanks, the oldest in the armyโs armoured inventory, were acquired from China in the early 1980s to supplement Soviet-era T-54/55 tanks. These platforms were later upgraded to the โDurjoyโ standard during 2012โ13.
The T-69 tanks, first inducted in 1991, underwent major upgrades between 2010 and 2013, when they were converted to the advanced Type 69-IIG standard using kits supplied by China.
These upgrades included explosive reactive armour (ERA), improved fire control systems, enhanced engine power, and upgraded navigation capabilities.
The VT-5 light tanks were procured under a 2019 contract for 44 units. The first consignments arrived in November 2021 and 2022, making Bangladesh the first export customer of Chinaโs Type 15/VT-5 light tank.
Security arrangements and urgent repairs
A document dated January 11, 2026, accessed by intelligence agencies, shows that Bangladesh Army headquarters sought security cover for the Chinese technicians from January 12 to 16. During this period, they were to be stationed at the Chariya field firing range in Chittagong.
The document also revealed that urgent repair work was required on at least one T-59 tank that was involved in an accident during a firing exercise at the Chariya range on May 4, 2024.
The T-59 tanks were procured by the Bangladesh Army through Dhaka-based M/s Badhua Traders Pvt Ltd, a defence-focused firm established in 2003. The company is known to have links with Chinaโs state-owned defence major NORINCO and specialises in military hardware, logistics, services, and communication equipment.
Published By - Ujjal Roy
Twelve Chinese โtechniciansโ have arrived in Bangladesh to carry out upgradation and repair work on Chinese-origin battle tanks operated by the Bangladesh Army, according to intelligence agencies based in Dhaka. The technicians arrived in two batches on January 12 and 13 and were initially taken to the Rajendrapur Cantonment before being moved to Chittagong.
The first batch consisted of seven technicians, while the second included five specially qualified machinists. Bangladesh Army sources said the team will visit the Chariya field firing range in Chittagong to observe tank trials and subsequently undertake necessary upgrades and repair work on several armoured platforms currently in service.
Tanks under inspection
The armoured vehicles identified for inspection and repair include the Chinese-origin T-59 Durjoy, T-69-IIG, MBT-2000 (VT-1A) main battle tanks, and the VT-5 light tank. The T-59 Durjoy is a heavily modernised version of the original T-59, featuring a new turret, a 125-mm gun, and upgraded electronic systems.
The T-69-IIG tanks are equipped with enhanced Chinese components, while the MBT-2000 (VT-1A), inducted by Bangladesh in 2011, is considered a versatile main battle tank. The VT-5 is a comparatively newer Chinese light tank that has been inducted into the Bangladesh Army in recent years.
Background of tank inductions
According to an officer from an intelligence wing, Bangladesh ordered 44 MBT-2000 (VT-1A) tanks from China in 2011, with deliveries carried out in phases beginning in early 2013 over a period of 27 months.
The T-59 tanks, the oldest in the armyโs armoured inventory, were acquired from China in the early 1980s to supplement Soviet-era T-54/55 tanks. These platforms were later upgraded to the โDurjoyโ standard during 2012โ13.
The T-69 tanks, first inducted in 1991, underwent major upgrades between 2010 and 2013, when they were converted to the advanced Type 69-IIG standard using kits supplied by China.
These upgrades included explosive reactive armour (ERA), improved fire control systems, enhanced engine power, and upgraded navigation capabilities.
The VT-5 light tanks were procured under a 2019 contract for 44 units. The first consignments arrived in November 2021 and 2022, making Bangladesh the first export customer of Chinaโs Type 15/VT-5 light tank.
Security arrangements and urgent repairs
A document dated January 11, 2026, accessed by intelligence agencies, shows that Bangladesh Army headquarters sought security cover for the Chinese technicians from January 12 to 16. During this period, they were to be stationed at the Chariya field firing range in Chittagong.
The document also revealed that urgent repair work was required on at least one T-59 tank that was involved in an accident during a firing exercise at the Chariya range on May 4, 2024.
The T-59 tanks were procured by the Bangladesh Army through Dhaka-based M/s Badhua Traders Pvt Ltd, a defence-focused firm established in 2003. The company is known to have links with Chinaโs state-owned defence major NORINCO and specialises in military hardware, logistics, services, and communication equipment.
