Bangladesh Army Chief makes a rare visit to Moscow

Close on the heels of Bangladesh interim regime chief adviser Mohammad Yunus' China visit, the country's army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman is undertaking a rare four-day visit to Russia this week, signalling a move to diversify Dhaka's global outreach.

The visit came within days of Yunus meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bangkok, on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit.

Gen Zaman held consultations with both civilian and military leadership in Moscow besides visiting arms manufacturing facilities.


Russian deputy defence minister Colonel General Alexander Fomin and Gen Zaman discussed prospects of military cooperation, the Russian defence ministry announced.

They "discussed prospects for cooperation in the defence sector and expressed mutual determination to further strengthen the existing friendly relations between the armies and peoples of Russia and Bangladesh," it added.

The visit may have been part of the Bangladesh army chief's efforts to diversify from the Chinese-origin defence equipment currently used by the Bangladesh military. Growing Russia-Bangladesh ties will add to India's comfort amid Yunus' efforts to widen scope of Chinese strategic presence in Bangladesh.

Unlike neighbouring India and Myanmar, Bangladesh has limited defence partnership with Moscow. Russian defence equipment in the Bangladesh military includes Yak trainer aircraft and a few MiG fighter jets.