Bangladesh Armed Forces

The Bangladesh Armed Forces (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ সশস্ত্র বাহিনী, romanized: Bangladesh Sashastra Bahinī) are the military forces of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. They consist of the three uniformed military services: the Bangladesh Army, the Bangladesh Navy and the Bangladesh Air Force. The Armed Forces are under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Defence of the Government of Bangladesh, and are directly administered by the Armed Forces Division of the Prime Minister's Office. The President of Bangladesh serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. Bangladesh has the third-largest defence budget in South Asia and according to the Global Firepower index, The Bangladeshi ilitary is the 37th strongest in the Worldit is the third most powerful military force in South Asia. Border Guard Bangladesh and Bangladesh Coast Guard are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs during peacetime, but during wartime they fall under the command of Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Navy respectively.

Military policy is formulated and executed by the Armed Forces Division (AFD) whereas the Ministry of Defence (MoD) does not exercise any operational or policy authority over the Armed Forces. Since independence, the AFD and MoD has been led by the Prime Minister. To coordinate military policy with foreign and intelligence policy, both the president and the prime minister are advised by a six-member advisory board which consists of the three military services' Chiefs of Staff, the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, and military secretaries to the president and the prime minister. The directors general of the NSI, the DGFI and the BGB also serve in an advisory capacity, when invited.

Armed Forces Day is observed on 21 November and commemorates the founding of the three services of the Armed Forces who subsequently initiated a joint Millitary operation against the occupying Pakistani Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Official functions are held across the country including at Bangabhaban, the Armed Forces Division Headquarters at Dhaka Cantonment, all military cantonments and at every military installation throughout the country.