Para-Commando Brigade (Bangladesh Army)

Para-commando Brigade is an independent special operations brigade of Bangladesh Army. The brigade was officially formed on 4 September 2016 on adhoc basis consisting three para-commando battalions.

Formation
Para-commando brigade was formed to cope with the security threats of new era. With the increase of unconventional security threats from state and non-state actors, expansion of the special operations force was unavoidable. To meet these needs, para-commando brigade was raised on ad hoc basis on 4 September 2016. the brigade includes the former 1st Para-Commando Battalion and newly formed 2nd Commando Battalion. The formation is yet to get its full strength.

Structure
Under this brigade's command, there are two Para-Commando battalions. They are:


 * 1st Para-Commando Battalion
 * 2nd Para-Commando Battalion

United Nations peacekeeping


Bangladesh is participating in different UN peace keeping missions since 1988. Currently, Bangladesh is one of the largest contributors of the UN peace keeping operations. Army, Navy, Air Force an Police members from Bangladesh are the participants of peace keeping missions. Since 2010, Bangladesh is also sending its special forces members to the UNPKOs. And, army para-commandos are the most among all special forces members of Bangladesh who are being sent to the peace keeping operations. They are deployed both with regular infantry soldiers and independently.

Operation Twilight in Sylhet
On Thursday, 23 March 2017, the Bangladesh Police surrounded a suspected militant hideout in Dakshin Surma Upazila, Sylhet, Bangladesh. Later, a SWAT team joined the police unit from Dhaka. The housing complex has two apartment buildings. The Police unit was reinforced with personal from Rapid Action Battalion on Friday. On Saturday, the 1st Para Commando Battalion took charge of operations and named it Operation Twilight.

Operation Twilight was launched by the 1st Para Commando Battalion of the adhoc para-commando brigade of the Bangladesh Army under the command of GOC of 17th Infantry Division in Jalalabad Cantonment Major General Anwarul Momen. The main gate of the building was blocked by the militants with a refrigerator with an IED attached to it. The building had 30 apartments and 150 rooms, the militants were constantly changing their location. The operation was launched on Saturday morning around 8am. The Commando unit was being assisted by SWAT and Bangladesh Police. Security forces established a three kilometre perimeter around the militant hideout. The commandos rescued 78 civilians trapped in the building from Thursday. Two militants were killed in the initial attack, one of who detonated a suicide vest. The militants had planted IEDs all over the building which slowed down the military operation. Army spokesman, Brigadier General Fakhrul Ahsan, reported that the operation would take more time because of the presence of IEDs in "strategic points" in the building. The Bangladesh Army used RPGs and shells to drive the militants out without much success. The commandos also used Armoured Personnel Carriers in the operation. Finally four militants were found dead at the hideout.

Equipments
Members of the paracommando Brigade are trained to operate a vast array of firearms including different types of assault rifles, pistols and sub-machine guns. The unit has variety of weapons in their inventory such as-
 * Type 56 Assault Rifle primary weapon
 * M4 Carbine
 * Steyr AUG
 * Glock 17
 * MP5A3
 * Accuracy International Arctic Warfare
 * Dragunov SVD
 * Type 81 assault rifle

Duties


Commandos are trained to operate in any kind of missions at home and abroad. Their missions include (but are not limited to):
 * Unconventional warfare
 * Counter-insurgency
 * Counter-narcotics
 * Counter-terrorism
 * Covert insertions/extractions
 * Hostage rescue and personnel recovery
 * Raids
 * Special reconnaissance
 * Airborne operation

Rewards/Padaks/Madels
The following are the various gallantry, service and war medals of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. Decorations in the order of precedence:

Peacetime gallantry awards

 * Bir Sorbottam-(বীর সর্বোত্তম; literally, "The Foremost Braves"), the highest gallantry award
 * Bir Mrittunjoee- (বীর মৃত্যুঞ্জয়ী; literally, "The Immortal Braves"), the second highest gallantry award
 * Bir Chiranjib- (বীর চিরঞ্জীব; literally, " The Incorruptible Braves"), the third highest gallantry award
 * Bir Durjoy- (বীর দুর্জয়; literally, "The Indomitable Braves"), the fourth highest

Army service Medals
Service and campaign medal

Hill Tracts Campaign medals
Service medals

Long service awards