DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wednesday reiterated her government’s pledge to develop and modernize the country’s armed forces aimed at ensuring international standard.

Initiatives have been taken to develop not only the Air Force but also the Bangladesh Army and the Navy, she added.

The premier said, “We will provide whatever is necessary for development and modernization of our armed forces.” 

She was addressing an induction programme of the JL-8W/K-8W, the jet trainer aircraft, at Air Force Base Bangabandhu in city’s Kurmitola.

The Hongdu JL-8 (Nanchang JL-8), from China, also known as the Karakorum-8, is a two-seat intermediate jet trainer and light attack aircraft has been added to Bangladesh Air Force. 

PM Hasina hoped that this K-8W jet will help to overcome the limitations and jeopardy on jet training in the country. It will work as an overlay of L-39 jet trainer.

“Our government intends to establish the armed force as an efficient, tidy and advanced force,” she added.

She also said that this is the first jet trainer aircraft which crossed 1400 kilometers airway from China to Bangladesh. Our aeronauts have done it successfully after just a 10-hour training session, she added.

PM thanked the Air Force officials for their great skills.

Sheikh Hasina also mentioned that K-8W is an advanced world class jet trainer aircraft. Many superpowers of the world use this for their aeronautical training.

This will help us to get the world class aeronautical training in a safer and faster way, she hoped.

BDST: 1344 HRS, DEC 10, 2014