NEW DELHI: A Made-in-China tank exploded during a Bangladesh Army field-firing exercise at the Hathazari Field Firing Range in Chattogram on September 9, killing two Bangladesh Army soldiers and seriously injuring an officer. The incident occurred while the tank was firing rounds during a military exercise, according to Bangladesh’s Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR).
The ISPR confirmed the accident in a statement, saying that an accident occurred while a tank was being used during the field-firing exercise. Two Bangladesh Army soldiers were killed, while a Bangladesh Army officer sustained serious injuries. The injured officer was airlifted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka for advanced treatment.
The identities of the two soldiers and the injured Bangladesh Army officer have not been released. The ISPR said necessary steps are underway to determine the cause of the accident, while the Bangladesh Army has ordered an investigation. The exact circumstances that triggered the explosion remain unconfirmed, and the Bangladesh Army has not officially disclosed the model of the tank involved.
Reports seek to identify the tank involved
Indian media reports, citing video footage, identified the vehicle as a Chinese-origin Type 59 battle tank. Other online reports described the tank as a Type 69-IIG. However, neither identification could be independently verified, and the Bangladesh Army has not officially confirmed whether the destroyed vehicle was a Type 59 or Type 69-IIG.
Video footage and social media reports circulating after the Bangladesh Army military exercise appeared to show a Chinese-origin armoured vehicle at the Hathazari Field Firing Range. The reports have therefore focused attention on Bangladesh’s ageing Made-in-China tank fleet and its continued use in military exercises.
Bangladesh Army’s Chinese-origin Type 59 tank reportedly exploded during a firing exercise, killing 2 crew members and injuring an officer.
Made in China. Used in Bangladesh. Deadly outcome. pic.twitter.com/Gn0FRx5ul4
— Shadow IND (@ShadowIND_IN) September 9, 2026
The Bangladesh Army’s armoured inventory is largely composed of Chinese-origin platforms. These include Type 59 and Type 69 variants, the MBT-2000 main battle tank and the VT-5 light tank. Publicly available listings indicate that Bangladesh has four types of tanks, all of which are Made in China or were developed jointly with China.
The Type 59 is a Chinese domestically produced derivative of the Soviet T-54 main battle tank and has remained part of the Bangladesh Army’s armoured inventory for decades. Rather than retire its ageing Chinese-built tanks, Bangladesh has continued to maintain and upgrade them to extend their service and improve their combat capabilities.
Bangladesh has previously undertaken modernisation work on its Chinese-origin tank fleet. Documentation issued by the Directorate General of Defence Procurement has referred to an upgrade programme for 40 T-59 tanks, as well as modernisation of 58 T-69IIG tanks. The programmes were intended to extend the operational life of the ageing tanks through improvements to their systems and combat capabilities.
The September 9 Hathazari accident comes as the Bangladesh Army continues efforts to maintain and modernise its armoured fleet. The explosion during the military exercise has raised questions about the condition and safety of the ageing Made-in-China tanks. The Bangladesh Army investigation is expected to establish what led to the accident at the Chattogram firing range.
