Law Minister Anisul Huq on Tuesday said in Parliament that the government has a plan to purchase more fighter jets of advanced technology in line with the Forces Goal-2030 to modernise the Air Force.
Anisul Huq, who is in charge of the Ministry of Defence in Parliamentary Affairs, said this in reply to a tabled question of ruling Awami League MP elected from Laxmipur Anwar Hossain Khan.
The minister said there are currently eight squadrons fighter jets in the Bangladesh Air Force to protect the country's sovereignty.
He said that Bangladesh Navy currently has more than 65 warships, two helicopters and four maritime aircraft, including two submarines, to protect the country's sovereignty.
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The minister said that the government has also other plans to include frigates, corvettes, Offshore Petrol Vessels (OPVs), Mine Counter Measure Vessels (MCMVs), Large Petrol Craft (LPCs), Ocean Tugs, Harbor Tugs, Oil Tankers, Logistic Ships, floating cranes, hydrographic survey vessels and hovercraft in Bangladesh Navy in the future in phases based on the budget allocation to protect the country’s sovereignty.
Meanwhile, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque told Parliament that there are no freedom fighters working in government services at present.
He said that according to the ministry's circular, the last date of birth of the freedom fighter was May 30, 1959.
Accordingly, the service period of a heroic freedom fighter will be up to 30th May, 2019. At present no freedom fighter is working in government service as per rules.
The minister also said that the ministry issued a circular on January 17, 2018 regarding the age of brave freedom fighters.
Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Shahab Uddin informed the House that that the global biodiversity is facing a serious threat due to human activities.
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In response to the question of AL MP elected from Kishoreganj Afzal Hossain, he said, according to the United Nations, if the current trend of nature’s destruction continues, 1 million species may become extinct worldwide within the next 10 years.
The minister also said that if climate change and global pollution continue at their current pace, one in three species of animals and plants worldwide could become extinct by 2070.
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