Chattogram/Dhaka: A deadly incident involving a Chinese-made battle tank has raised fresh and serious questions over the reliability of military equipment and training standards in Bangladesh after a shell reportedly exploded during a live-fire exercise, killing two soldiers and leaving a captain critically injured.
The incident took place at the Hathazari Field Firing Range in Chattogram during a military exercise involving a Chinese-made Type 69IIG tank. The sudden explosion reportedly killed two Bangladeshi crew members inside or aboard the tank, while the officer commanding the vehicle suffered severe injuries.
The deaths have been officially confirmed by the Bangladesh Army.
Two Soldiers Dead, Captain Critically Injured
The two soldiers killed have been identified as Abu Bakar Siddique and Tasnim Rafayat.
The injured officer, identified as Captain Mirza, reportedly suffered severe injuries to both hands. He was rushed to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka, where his condition remains critical.
The incident has cast a grim shadow over what was intended to be a routine military exercise, with the fatal explosion exposing the potentially devastating consequences of failures involving ammunition, equipment, training or safety procedures.
Shocking Footage Shows Force of Explosion
A video purportedly showing the incident has been circulating widely on social media.
The disturbing footage appears to show a soldier standing on top of the tank being violently thrown several feet into the air following the explosion, underlining the extraordinary force of the blast.
Ammunition Quality Under Scrutiny
Preliminary reports have reportedly pointed towards the possibility of defective or substandard ammunition, although the precise cause of the explosion has not yet been conclusively established.
The incident is nevertheless likely to intensify scrutiny of Bangladesh’s reliance on Chinese-origin military equipment and raise questions about ammunition quality, equipment maintenance, crew training and firing-range safety.
The Bangladesh Army has constituted a special investigation team to establish exactly what went wrong.
Investigators are expected to examine the ammunition involved, the tank’s systems and equipment, the actions of the crew, safety protocols at the firing range and the level of command supervision during the exercise.
What Is the Chinese Type 69IIG Tank?
The Type 69IIG is a Chinese-developed main battle tank that has been operated by the Bangladesh Army for years. It is an upgraded version derived from the Soviet T-54/55 lineage and Chinese Type 59/69 tank family.
The tank is equipped with a 105mm L7-series main gun, explosive reactive armour (ERA), a computerised fire-control system and night-vision equipment.
However, the fatal incident has put the spotlight firmly on the real-world reliability of the equipment and ammunition being used by Bangladeshi troops. The investigation will now have to determine whether the tragedy resulted from an ammunition failure, an equipment malfunction, human error, inadequate safety procedures—or a combination of factors.
For the families of the two soldiers killed, however, the questions surrounding the deadly blast come too late. Two lives have already been lost during an exercise that was meant to prepare soldiers for combat, not send them to their deaths.
