[🇧🇩-Land] Tank Upgradation and purchase of new tank by Bangladesh Army

[Saif]

Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N45a-X26e4o&t=3s

The following video describes the technological aspects of Type-59 Durjoy and Type-69IIG tank.

 

[Saif]

Another video on upgraded Type-59 Durjoy tank.

 

[Saif]

Type 59 Durjoy - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Type 59G Durjoy, sometimes known as Type 59G, is a highly modernized version of the Chinese Type 59 tank for the Bangladesh Army. The Bangladesh Army's old Type 59 tanks were upgraded similarly to Type 59G standard at 902 Central Workshop of the Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory with Chinese assistance.

The Bangladesh Army renamed the tank as Durjoy (Bengali: দুর্জয়).

History​

The Bangladeshi Army required armoured vehicles with limited weight but good protection, firepower and speed. Between the 1980s and the early 2000s, the army had hundreds of Type 59 tanks which stayed in service until 2015. The Bangladesh Army decided to upgrade all the remaining functional tanks because the rebuilding process of a tank costs one third of buying a new one.

During this process, only the hull of the original tank is used and all the other aspects are upgraded. BMTF upgraded 174 type 59 tanks to Durjoy standard.

Description​

The tank uses the basic Type 59 hull which is 6.04 metres (19.8 ft) long, 3.27 metres (10.7 ft) wide and has a height of 2.59 metres (8 ft 6 in). The tank weighs 40 tonnes (39 long tons; 44 short tons) package.

The Durjoy uses a 730 horsepower (540 kW) diesel engine and has a power to weight ratio of 17.4 hp per tonnes. The maximum speed of the vehicle varies: in fact the tank can run at 49 kilometres per hour (30 mph) max. The tanks range is 450 kilometres (280 mi). It is equipped with rubber padded tracks to navigate softer soils and swamps. The tank has five road wheels on each side with a prominent gap between the first and second road wheel. The track is driven by a drive sprocket at the rear, with an idler at the front. It is notable that there are no return rollers. The suspension is a torsion bar system. The engine exhaust is on the left fender.

The Durjoy tanks require a crew of 4 people which includes commander, driver, gunner and loader. Unlike the basic Type 59, the Durjoy has an air conditioning system to increase crew comfort and complete NBC protection.

Protection​

Side view of Durjoy MBT

The primary protection system of the tank is made of a layer of thick steel modular composite armour. To increase protection against APFSDS, HEAT and ATGM rounds, there is Chinese 3rd generation explosive reactive armour on the tank's front and turret. Besides, there is cage armour at the back of the turret to increase the protection level. Smoke grenade launchers are fitted to each side of the turret. A collective fire suppression system is added to increase the crew survivability rate. The tanks are equipped with a laser warning receiver to give a warning when it's targeted by an enemy laser range-finder or laser designator.

Armaments​

125 mm main gun of Type 59 Durjoy

The Durjoy tank has a 125 mm smoothbore gun which is the tank's primary weapon. The gun has a dual-axis gun stabilizer which enables the tank to fire at a target while the tank is moving. This gun is capable of firing APFSDS , HEAT and HE rounds as well as anti-tank guided missiles. The APFSDS used by Durjoy tank can penetrate 500mm RHA armor as far as 2 km away.

As a secondary armament, it has a 12.7 mm W85 heavy machine gun with 3000 rounds and a 7.62 mm Type 86 coaxial machine gun with 550-600 rounds. The 12.7 mm machine gun can be used in an anti-aircraft role too. It also has 81mm smoke grenades.

Electronics​

The Durjoy uses a modern fire-control system comparable to the fourth generation Chinese tanks. Its ballistic computer has an integrated thermal imaging system and laser designator. It also has an independent commander's sight.

The Durjoy has a night vision system and Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation. Unlike a basic Type 59 tank, these tanks have a combat data link which gives them better situational awareness. This tank uses XDZ-1 SATCOM and VRC-2000L radio contact systems for communication.

 

[Saif]

More firepower for Durjoy tank.

 

[Saif]

Upgraded Type-69 IIG Tank of Bangladesh army.

 

[Deleted due to Error (Muji Iqbal)]

We are happy for Bangladesh. But Bangladesh doesn't have any real enemies like Pakistan has.

 

[Saif]

Type 69 tank - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Bangladesh Army Engineers improved Type-69 weaponry and armor system to make it more effective.

• T-69IIG – An upgraded Bangladeshi model with the following modifications:
  • Bi-axis stabilised Type-83A (improved L-7 with bigger bore and longer barrel) 105mm smoothbore gun[citation needed] (NATO compatible), with semi-automatic loader.
  • New fire control system (FCS), laser range-finder, Night vision sights & combat data link
  • 850 hp (630 kW) diesel engine
  • Chinese 3rd generation explosive reactive armour (ERA) protection, automatic collective fire suppression system, Laser warning receiver, NBC suite.
  • New communications and navigation equipment (including GPS receiver)
  • Rubber padded track

 

[Saif]

We are happy for Bangladesh. But Bangladesh doesn't have any real enemies like Pakistan has.

Bangladesh has two hostile neighbors such as India and Myanmar.

 

[Bilal9]

We are happy for Bangladesh. But Bangladesh doesn't have any real enemies like Pakistan has.

Situation can change very quickly brother.

 

[Bilal9]

Great informative updates on Durjoy @Saif bhai - Thanks!

 

[Saif]

As per this video Bangladesh army has a plan to form a tank division within 2030. This video also talks about raising three more light tank regiments in future. One more regiment of main battle tank will be raised to fulfill the requirement of Bangladesh army.

 

[Saif]

I am doubtful about the authenticity of this news report. But I still want you to watch the video because Bangladesh has ordered artillery shells and tank ammunitions from Pakistan.

Bangladesh Expresses Interest in Pakistan’s Haider Tank Amid Reports of Ammunition Orders

 

[Bilal9]

I am doubtful about the authenticity of this news report. But I still want you to watch the video because Bangladesh has ordered artillery shells and tank ammunitions from Pakistan.

Bangladesh Expresses Interest in Pakistan’s Haider Tank Amid Reports of Ammunition Orders

Saif bhai, I have seen this as well. Who knows if this is a figment coming from Godi Media in India or not. Haider is a great tank but at this time, tank purchases are not our priority in Bangladesh. The ammunition stuff may be legit. Godi Media was already propagating stories that Bangladesh was ready to go to war with India. Clickbait galore.

 

[Saif]

মোট ৯৮ টি ট্যাংক আপগ্রেড করেছে বাংলাদেশের বিজ্ঞানীরা (40 units T-59 and 58 units T-69)

 

[Saif]

Picture of an upgraded tank.

 

[Saif]

Another Picture of an upgraded tank.

 

[Saif]

ব্যাটল ট্যাংকে Active Protection System (APS) কি এবং কিভাবে কাজ করে? (Why is APS used in MBT)

 

[Bilal9]

Bangladesh is getting more SLC-2 AESA radars from NORINCO, and is approaching HIT and other Pakistani firms (Margalla) for getting new tanks and upgrading existing ones.

Big concern for India as China arms Bangladesh with highly advanced radars, Pakistan upgrading Dhaka's tanks, experts say ...

Why does Bangladesh feel the need to increase its military strength?

www.india.com

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh Army eyes weapons locating radars from China and tank upgradation in Pakistan’s Taxila

Five days before Bangladesh interim authority Chief Advisor Mohammad Yunus left for China on March 26, the Directorate General of

nenews.in

Bangladesh Army eyes weapons locating radars from China and tank upgradation in Pakistan’s Taxila

Four Chinese persons visited army headquarters in March to discuss sale of weapons locating radars to Bangladesh. On the other hand, Bangladesh Army to upgrade battle tanks in Pakistan’s Taxila

Chandan Nandy by Chandan Nandy April 18, 2025 in Neighbours

Five days before Bangladesh interim authority Chief Advisor Mohammad Yunus left for China on March 26, the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) ‘accorded security clearance’ to four Chinese nationals, enabling them to hold a meeting with Bangladesh Army officers on their plans to procure weapons locating radars.

Documents in possession of Northeast News show that the four Chinese nationals were identified as Fan Chong (Passport No. PE2132130), Xiao Qiao (Passport No. PE2189093), Liu Zhiwei (Passport No. PE2227224) and Long Yun (Passport No. 2311603).

The meeting between the Chinese nationals, whose professional background remains unclear, though it is suspected that they represented the state-owned China North Industries Group Corporation Limited, or Norinco, was held at the Bangladesh Army’s Multipurpose Complex on Shahid Sarani, within Dhaka cantonment.

The meeting was held on March 24, two days before Yunus reached China.

The Chief Advisor’s Office and the Intelligence Directorate under the Armed Forces Division was kept abreast of the DGFI’s permission given to the Chinese nationals whose passports and valid immigration documents were duly verified before entry into the Army complex.

The purpose of the meeting was to “discuss about weapon locating radar system (Model: SLC-2),” the documents reveal. Senior officers from the Army’s Directorate of Artillery were also under instructions to “remain present during the discussion session”.

Now, less than a month before this meeting, on February 25, Bangladesh’s Army headquarters sent out an office order related to an official tour to Pakistan’s Taxila of seven Bangladesh Army officers in respect of the “upgradation” of 98 battle tanks at the Margalla Heavy Industries Ltd.

The office order originated from the office of the Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division, under the Chief Advisor’s Office.

The ‘special team’ of officers were to Margalla Heavy Industries Ltd between March 2 and 7 to oversee the up-gradation of 40 T59-KMK and 58 T-69G. The visit was given a wide window – the Bangladesh Army could visit the Taxila-based company anytime till April 30.

The Bangladesh Army, documents in the possession of Northeast News show, was invited by the Dhaka-based Pakistan High Commission’s defence wing (through a February 13 letter) to undertake the visit to Taxila.

The seven-member Bangladesh Army team, led by Brigadier General Khairul Islam, did indeed visit the Taxila complex of Margalla Heavy Industries Ltd.

A Departure Card, filled in by Brig Gen Khairul Islam during immigration procedure, show that he boarded a Thai Airways flight (TG-322) on March 3.

The rest of the team, comprising a colonel, two lieutenant colonels, two majors and a captain, accompanied Brig Gen Khairul Islam.

They took a roundabout route to Bangkok before landing in Islamabad the same day.

The Bangladesh Army’s February 25 office order reveals that the visiting officers were to be guests of Heavy Industries Taxila who would bear all their local expenses.

The up-gradation of the tanks was necessitated by the fact that their 100 mm guns and ammunition were “on the point of becoming obsolete”. Besides, Bangladesh Army documents reasoned, that essential components of the two series of tanks were also “not readily available in the international market”.

More importantly, the Bangladesh Army’s justification for the up-gradation was based on the realisation that the “fire control systems” of the two tanks’ series were “completely manually operated” which was “antagonistic” in today’s militarily competitive world.

Bangladesh’s Armoured Corps Division commands 174 59-G Durjoy, 58 69-IIG, 44 MBT-2000 and five VT-5 types of tanks.

While the document did not rule out the procurement of new tanks, it argued that upgradation of the two tank types would vastly enable their “modernisation and therefore battle-readiness”.

The Bangladesh Army’s decision to upgrade the armoured assets followed a five-day official visit to Rawalpindi of Principal Staff Officer, AFD, LieutenantGeneral Kamrul Hassan in January this year.

This was followed by the visit to Bangladesh of a three-member ISI team led by a major general, the same month.​

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh army has taken up a project to upgrade 98 T-59 tanks. The upgrade works could be done either at BMTF or at Taxila Heavy Industry of Pakistan.