Two Soldiers Killed, Officer Injured In Bangladesh Army Chinese-Origin Type 59 Tank Blast

Two Bangladesh Army soldiers were killed and an officer was seriously injured after a Type 59 tank reportedly exploded during a field firing exercise at the Hathazari Field Firing Range in Chattogram on Wednesday, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR).

The incident occurred during a routine firing exercise at the army range, the ISPR said in a statement. The two soldiers died in the explosion, while the injured officer was taken for treatment.

The ISPR said authorities had begun an investigation into the incident. It did not immediately provide details on what caused the tank to explode or whether the blast occurred while the vehicle was firing, loading ammunition or undergoing another stage of the exercise.

Chinese-Origin Tank

The vehicle involved was a Type 59, a Chinese-made main battle tank based on the Soviet T-54/T-55 design.

The Type 59 was China’s first domestically produced tank and entered service in the 1950s. The platform has undergone several upgrades over the decades, including improvements to its gun, fire-control systems, armour and engine.

Bangladesh operates the Type 59G, a heavily modernised version of the original tank. Army Recognition lists around 300 Type 59G tanks as having been procured and upgraded by the Bangladesh Army. The variant features a new turret and 125 mm main gun.

The Type 59 family is an older tank design, although upgraded versions remain in service in several countries, including Bangladesh.

Investigation Underway

The circumstances surrounding Wednesday’s explosion remain unclear.

The ISPR did not say whether the tank suffered a mechanical failure, an ammunition-related incident or another malfunction. It also did not specify the identities or ranks of the two soldiers killed.

The incident took place at Hathazari Field Firing Range in Chattogram, where military personnel conduct weapons and live-firing exercises.

An investigation is expected to determine the cause of the explosion and examine the tank, ammunition and procedures involved in the exercise.

The deaths come during a military training activity rather than an active combat operation, with the ISPR statement so far providing no indication that the incident was linked to an external attack or security threat.