Army Chief Opens Second Defense Factory Aiming to Export Arms

Bangladesh has taken a significant step toward self-reliance in military manufacturing with the formal signing and handover ceremony for the establishment of the country's second defense weaponry production factory. According to a notification from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), this strategic facility is being set up in the expanded portion of the long-closed Jalil Textile Mill located at Faujdarhat in Chattogram's Sitakunda upazila.

The momentous occasion was graced by Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, who attended the formal agreement signing and handover event as the chief guest. His presence underscored the high-level military backing and strategic importance of expanding domestic defense manufacturing capabilities to fulfill the nation's requirements.

Addressing the event, General Waker-Uz-Zaman outlined a visionary economic and strategic roadmap for the new facility. He stated that the goal of producing weapons extends far beyond merely meeting domestic demands, emphasizing the ambition to transform the sector into a thriving export-oriented industry capable of generating substantial foreign currency for the country.

Elaborating on the production targets and self-sufficiency goals, the Army Chief further asserted that everything the military utilizes for firing will eventually be manufactured locally. He reiterated that surplus output from this newly established factory will successfully meet internal needs while opening avenues to export excess weaponry abroad.

In a related series of engagements, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman also traveled to Savar. During his visit there, he attended the annual captain conferences for the year 2026, specifically presiding over the Corps of Military Police Centre and School (CMPC&S) annual captain conference as well as the Remount Veterinary and Farm (RV&F) Depot annual captain conference.