Bangladesh Ansar
| Bangladesh Ansar | |
|---|---|
| বাংলাদেশ আনসার | |
 |
|
| Active | 1948–present |
| Country |
 Bangladesh (1971–present) |
| Allegiance | Bangladesh |
| Type | Paramilitary Internal Security, Law Enforcement, Gendarmerie |
| Size | 6.1 million |
| Garrison/HQ | Gazipur, Bangladesh |
| Nickname(s) | BA |
| Anniversaries | 26 March |
| Engagements | Bangladesh Liberation War |
| Decorations | 1. Bir Sreshtho 2. Bir Uttom 3. Bir Bikrom 4. Bir Protik |
| Commanders | |
| Director General | Major General Mijanur Rahman Khan |
Pakistan (1948–1971)
The Bangladesh Ansar (also known as the Ansar Bahini) is a paramilitary force for the preservation of internal security and law enforcement in Bangladesh. It is administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of Bangladesh. The name originates from the Arabic word of "Ansar", which denotes a "helper" and specifically refers to the companions of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, during his exile from Mecca.
The Ansar were formed out of the remnants of the Indian Home Guard who were from East Bengal, which had become a part of Pakistan after the partition of India in 1947. The force was formed as the "East Pakistan Ansars" by the East Pakistan Ansars Act of 1948, and officially launched on 12 February 1948. The first director of the Ansar was , a British official appointed by the government of then-Chief Minister of East Bengal Khawaja Nazimuddin. The force was placed under the administration of the home ministry of the province of East Bengal (later known as East Pakistan).
The emphasis was on recruiting in border areas, where Ansars were deployed to interdict smuggling, prevent emigrants from taking valuables out of the country illegally, build border roads, and conduct occasional raids into India. The force grew quickly. By early 1949 there were 118,000 Ansars. According to historian Willem van Schendel, the Ansars "soon earned a reputation for intimidation and hooliganism, especially with regard to the non-Muslim inhabitants of East Pakistan." During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, the Ansar were deployed to the border areas along with the East Pakistan Rifles to support the Pakistani army.
...
Wikipedia