Ansar and VDP Director General Major General Abdul Motaleb Sazzad Mahmud has called on newly trained Ansar members to discharge their duties with honesty, dedication, discipline and professionalism to strengthen national security.
He made the call while addressing the closing parade of the Ansar Basic Training-2026 for enrolled Ansar members at the Bangladesh Ansar and VDP Academy in Shafipur, Gazipur, on Thursday.
The director general received the salute of the newly trained members and inspected the parade.
Highlighting the role of Ansar members in safeguarding the country's economy, industries and key point installations (KPIs), he said more than 55,000 enrolled Ansar members were performing security duties at over 5,000 important government and private institutions, industrial establishments and KPIs across the country.
He said the force's capacity to respond to emergencies and disasters would be strengthened through coordinated training and activities with the Fire Service and other agencies.
The director general expressed gratitude to Ansar members who had made sacrifices or sustained injuries while protecting public property and important installations.
He also praised their courage and professionalism in thwarting criminal activities, including an attempted robbery at the Matarbari power plant.
Regarding welfare initiatives, he said the process of increasing the salaries of enrolled Ansar members was nearing completion. The long-standing rest system had already been abolished, while steps had been taken to improve accommodation, introduce transfer opportunities within members' home divisions and increase the quality and quantity of rations.
He added that reforms and welfare initiatives undertaken after the 2024 mass uprising were being implemented gradually.
Under the prime minister's directive, enrolled Ansar members had been deployed at every upazila health complex to help ensure security, maintain discipline and facilitate uninterrupted healthcare services, he said.
The director general said administrative management was being made more transparent and accountable to ensure members received their due salaries and benefits, adding that strict measures had been taken to prevent intermediaries from misappropriating their allowances.
Emphasising the importance of training, he said the basic course had been updated to address contemporary security challenges. It covered physical fitness, general and weapons training, security procedures, incident management, emergency response, risk assessment, and relevant laws and regulations.
He urged the newly trained members to apply their knowledge with honesty, discipline, impartiality and humanity, describing their identity as members of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force as both an honour and a responsibility.
Of the 692 approved trainees, 654 attended the 60-day course that began on September 6, and 627 successfully completed it.
Kazi Md Abu Sayeed of Cumilla secured first place in firing, Md Fizur Rahman of Noakhali topped the drill category, and Md Sabikur Rahman of Khagrachhari was selected as the best trainee.
The director general distributed awards among the outstanding trainees.
Following the parade, a riot-control security exercise was demonstrated under a training programme conducted by a Turkish Gendarmerie team.
The director general said the Ansar Battalion, Ansar Guard Battalion and enrolled Ansar members were fully prepared to respond to any emerging situation using their own capabilities. He said the force's capacity to control riots, disorder and threats to public safety had also been demonstrated during the recent garment workers' movement in Gazipur.
Additional Director General Brigadier General Mamunur Rashid, Academy Commandant and Additional Director General Md Saifullah Russell, Turkish training officials, instructors and other Ansar officials and members attended the event.
