Chinese-origin Type 59 tank explodes during Bangladesh Army live-fire drill, killing two soldiers
Two Bangladesh Army soldiers were killed and a commissioned officer was seriously injured on Wednesday after a tank exploded during a live-fire exercise at the Hathazari Field Firing Range in Chattogram, according to the army’s Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR). While the military has not officially identified the vehicle involved, multiple media reports and video circulating online indicate that it was a Chinese-origin Type 59 main battle tank.
The incident took place while the crew was firing from the tank during a field-firing exercise, ISPR said. In its statement, the directorate said: “Today, during a field-firing exercise at the Hathazari Field Firing Range in Chattogram, a sudden accident occurred while a tank was firing, killing two Bangladesh Army soldiers and seriously injuring an officer.” The injured officer was airlifted to the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka for advanced treatment.
ISPR said steps were being taken to determine the cause of the accident. At the time of reporting, no official explanation had been provided on whether the blast was linked to ammunition, a mechanical failure, crew error or another factor. The Bangladesh Army also had not said whether the firing exercise at Hathazari was halted after the explosion.
Local outlets including The Daily Star and Prothom Alo relayed the same official account and said the identities of the two soldiers who died were not immediately released. Reports citing The Daily Star said both soldiers were inside the tank when the blast occurred.
The tank itself has not been formally named by the Bangladesh Army, but graphic footage from the range and subsequent reporting have pointed to a Type 59, the Chinese-designed main battle tank derived from the Soviet T-54. The Type 59 has long served in Bangladesh’s armoured formations, making the accident especially sensitive because it involves a platform that remains part of the country’s older tank fleet.
Bangladesh has not retired the Type 59 fleet outright. Instead, it has pursued upgrade and life-extension programmes to keep ageing armoured vehicles operational. Defence procurement documents have previously referred to modernisation of Type 59 tanks and Type 69IIG vehicles, with the stated aim of improving fire control, protection and combat systems. Some Type 59 hulls have also been rebuilt locally to a higher standard known as Type 59G Durjoy. It remains unconfirmed whether the tank involved in Wednesday’s explosion was an original Type 59 or one of the upgraded variants.
The accident is likely to intensify scrutiny of older Chinese-origin armour still in service with the Bangladesh Army, though no official assessment has yet linked the blast to the age or design of the vehicle. Any inquiry will have to examine the condition of the tank, maintenance history, ammunition quality and training procedures before conclusions can be drawn. As of now, the military has not released a final finding.
ISPR said an inquiry had been initiated. No technical details, range-safety findings or comment from Chinese manufacturers or suppliers were available in the initial statements. The Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka was continuing treatment for the injured officer, while funeral arrangements for the two soldiers had not been announced.
