The Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) is a tri-services volunteer reserve defence force comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force wing for school, college and university students. It is the second line of defence headed by Bangladesh Army.
Students are trained by military staffs and personnel all through the cadet ship. BNCC remains high value in Bangladeshi society's public-military relationship. BNCC cadets work together with Army, Navy, Air Force as well as Civil Defense authority in national integrity and emergencies.
History
After the establishment University of Dhaka (1921) the Corps initiated its activities under the provisions of the Indian Territorial Forces Act, 1920. Captain E. Groom was the first adjutant of the Corps. He imparted military training to 100 students and 16 teachers in November 1927. Later University Training Corps was officially founded in June 1928. In 1943, the name of the Corps was changed to University Officers Training Corps (UOTC). The Corps was merged into Pakistan Cadet Corps and operated in school, colleges of both West Pakistan & East Pakistan. The members of this Corps took part in the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971. After independence, Bangladesh Cadet Corps comprising college students, and Junior Cadet Corps comprising junior students, were formed in addition to University Officers Training Corps. On 23 March 1979, University Officers Training Corps, Bangladesh Cadet Corps and Junior Cadet Corps were all merged by President Ziaur Rahman. The organization is tri service combined from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force. At present, its headquarters is located in Sector 6, Uttara, Dhaka. There are three categories of Cadets in BNCC and divided under two broad heads namely, Senior Division and Junior Division cadets. Senior division again has two categories of female and male cadets of various levels of academic qualifications. The Bangladesh Government Cabinet approved a proposal to bring BNCC under a legal framework and department. The proposal was titled Bangladesh National Cadet Corps Act-2015. The separate department would be under the Ministry of Defense. BNCC sent a delegation to India in a youth exchange program upon the invitation of the Indian Government and participated in Republic Day Camp 2009. The organization participates in Independence Day and Victory Day parade.
Organization Headed by a Director General, who is also a Brigadier General of Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh National Cadet Corps has three wings: Army Wing, Air Wing and Naval Wing. Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) is composed of 5 Army regiments (Army Wing), 3 Air Squadron (Air Force Wing) and 3 Naval Flotilla (Naval Wing).
The regiments are: 1. Ramna Regiment, Dhaka 2. Karnaphuli Regiment, Chattogram 3. Moinamati Regiment, Cumilla 4. Sundorbon Regiment, Khulna 5. Mohasthan Regiment, Rajshahi
The Air Squadrons are: 1. 56 Squadron 2. 57 Squadron 3. 58 Squadron.
The Flotillas are: 1.Dhaka Flotilla, 2.Chittagong Flotilla 3.Khulna Flotilla. There are two entry points for the students to join as cadets, i.e., School and College / University. The senior division ranges from students of Intermediate colleges and extends up to universities. The cadet life lasts for both males and females up to four years. The junior division used to consist of cadets from class seven. But this has been changed to class eight in 2025
Wing BNCC has 4 wings. These are:
Army Wing Naval Wing Air Wing Air Def Wing (Proposed)
Regiment There are 9 regiments under the Army Wing. These are:
Ramna Regiment, Dhaka Karnaphuli Regiment, Chittagong Moinamati Regiment, Comilla Mohasthan Regiment, Rajshahi Sundarban Regiment, Khulna Naval Regiment 1, Dhaka (Proposed) Naval Regiment 2, Chittagong (Proposed) Naval Regiment 3, Mongla (Proposed) Naval Regiment 4, Payra (Proposed)
List of current regiment commanders of BNCC Army Wing +Sl #NameWingDutyRegiment1Lt Col Muhammed Ishaque, BGBM, pscArmy WingRegiment CommanderRamna Regiment2Lt. Col. Rahat Newaz, PscArmy WingRegiment CommanderKarnaphuli Regiment3Lt. Col. Rasedul Hasan Prince, PscArmy WingRegiment CommanderMainamati Regiment4Lt. Col. Md. Masud Rayhan, Inf.Army WingRegiment CommanderSundarban Regiment5Maj Abu Rifat Md Motaleb, pscArmy WingRegiment CommanderMohasthan Regiment
Flotilla There are 4 flotillas under the Navy Wing. These are:
51 BNCC Flotilla, Dhaka 52 BNCC Flotilla, Chattogram 53 BNCC Flotilla, Khulna 54 BNCC Flotilla, Barisal (Proposed)
List of current deputy director (naval) and officer commanding of BNCC Flotilla +Sl #NameWingDutyFlotilla1Lt Cdr Faisal Bin Rashid, (G) PCGM, BNNaval WingDD- Deputy Director -Naval & OC- Dhaka FlotillaBNCC HQ & Dhaka Flotilla2Lt Tanzim Zaman Tayin,(X), BN CdrNaval WingOC- Officer CommandingChattogram Flotilla3Lt H M Abu Sakib (X), BN CdrNaval WingOC- Officer CommandingKhulna Flotilla
Squadron There are 4 squadrons under the Air-Force Wing. These are:
56 BNCC Squadron, Dhaka. 57 BNCC Squadron, Chattogram. 58 BNCC Squadron, Jessore. 53 BNCC Squadron, Maritime. (Proposed)
List of current deputy director (air) and officer commanding of BNCC Squadron +Sl #NameWingDutySquadron1Sqn Ldr Sagar Soikot PitomAir WingDD- Deputy Director -AirBNCC HQ2Flt Lt Iftekhar Uddin Leemon, GD(P)Air WingOC- Officer Commanding56 BNCC Squadron Dhaka3Flt Lt Nahid Hasan ShuvoAir WingOC- Officer Commanding57 BNCC Squadron Chattagram4Flt Lt Md Al Nafiur RahmanAir WingOC- Officer Commanding58 BNCC Squadron Jessore
Ranks Cadets +CADETSCadet Under OfficerCadet SergeantCadet CorporalCadet Lance CorporalCadetArmy WingNaval WingAir Wing
Officers +OfficersWing/GradeCCO-5CCO-4CCO-3CCO-2CCO-1UO-02UO-01 Army Wing Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant 2nd Lieutenant Professor Under Officer Teacher Under Officer Naval Wing No Equivalent Rank in BNCC Lieutenant Sub-Lieutenant Acting Sub-Lieutenant Professor Under Officer Teacher Under OfficerAir Wing No Equivalent Rank in BNCC Flight Lieutenant Flying Officer Pilot Officer Professor Under Officer Teacher Under Officer
Cadet Epaulettes
+Cadet EpaulettesWingsCadet Under Officer (CUO) Senior Division Ldr Junior Division LdrArmy Wing Naval Wing Air Wing
List of directors general +Sl #NameTerm startTerm endReference1ColonelAfnan Tasin7 August 197815 September 19802Colonel Mohammad Bazlul Gani Patwari15 September 19808 June 19813Brigadier General Nurul Islam Shishu4 September 198131 March 19864Brigadier General Md. Iftekharul Basher29 June 19918 January 19925Brigadier General Abid Hossain9 January 19921 June 19966Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Hasan1 November 19965 September 19997Brigadier General Shah Jalal26 September 199920 December 20008Brigadier General Md Nurul Bashir23 July 200125 August 20029Brigadier General Azizur Rahman Ashraful25 August 20022 January 200510Brigadier General Ahsan Habib Khan2 January 200530 September 200711Brigadier General Kazi Anwar Hossain30 September 200715 March 200912Brigadier General Immam Hossain19 March 20097 March 201013Brigadier General Mahmud Hossain10 March 201022 August 201014Brigadier General G. M. Quamrul Islam26 December 201020 March 201115Brigadier General Mohammad Obaidul Haque21 March 201129 December 201116Brigadier General Mirza Ezazur Rahman29 December 201128 February 201317Brigadier General Md. Rejuanul Hoque Chowdhury28 February 20131 January 201418Brigadier General Murshedul Huque1 January 201430 December 201519Brigadier General SM Ferdous30 January 20167 August 201820Brigadier General Md. Abdul Baten Khan19 August 201820 January 202021Brigadier General Nahidul Islam Khan20 January 20204 August 202222Brigadier General Omar Sadi4 August 202224 September 202323Brigadier General Md. Mizanur Rahman12 November 202331 December 202424Brigadier General Abu Sayed Al Masud16 January 2025
Training and activities
The Cadets receive military training. National Cadet Corps conducts its activities with the aim of providing military training to young people in order to develop them as a supporting force for military and providing a second line of defence. Its activities include basic military training.
Other activities Besides receiving military and other types of training, the cadets are also involved in social work. The cadets have participated in activities such as:
Tree Plantation Blood donation Assisting fire fighters Disaster relief operation including rehabilitation Relief distribution Assisting in first aid, hygiene and sanitation etc. Security/volunteer at events in their respective educational institutions Community service Youth Exchange Program
See also Bangladesh Military Academy Australian Defence Force Cadets Canadian Cadet Organizations Combined Cadet Force Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps National Cadet Corps (Ghana) National Cadet Corps (India) National Cadet Corps (Singapore) National Cadet Corps (Sri Lanka) New Zealand Cadet Forces
References 25.↑ "Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC)". Md.Shakhawat Hossain Sayem .(DGBHS)
External links Official website of BNCC