Indonesian Ambassador Reopens Defense Attache Office in Dhaka

Dhaka, MINA – Indonesian Ambassador to Dhaka Rina P Soemarno on Tuesday, reopened the Office of Defense Attache at the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The reopening was marked by the handover of the duties and authority of non-resident Defense Attaché officials from Colonel Kav Dody M Taufik to the Resident Defense Attache officials Colonel Chb Mardikan.

Rina P Soemarno said that previously, the Indonesian Embassy in Dhaka had the Defense Attache Office which was vacuumed for 21 years from 1983 to 1998. Since the 1998 monetary crisis, the Defense Attache Office at the Indonesian Embassy in Dhaka was closed, for the region Bangladesh and concurrently from the Defense Attache Office at the Indonesian Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.

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Furthermore, Rina P Soemarno said that the Defense Attaché was TNI (Indonesian Army) structural official stationed at the Indonesian Representative Office with diplomatic status in several accreditation countries in order to represent and assist the Minister of Defense, Indonesian Army Commander, relevant agencies in carrying out military diplomacy missions, cooperation military and defense and world peace mission.

The consideration is to reopen the Defense Attache office in Dhaka, among others, Bangladesh has an international seaport in Chittagong which is used as a repository of KRI logistics that passes to and returns from Africa and Europe.

It can increase military and defense cooperation because Bangladesh is the third largest country in the world contributors to the UN peacekeeping force that can be used as Indonesian Army partners. Bangladesh can become a potential market for the sale of Indonesian defense equipment products, to monitor illegal immigrants who enter the sea route to Indonesia, increasing bilateral relations between Indonesia and Bangladesh.

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“The presence of Defense Attache is expected to support and strengthen the implementation of Indonesian military diplomacy in the accreditation area. Therefore, the Defense Attache needs to always coordinate closely with all parties in the Indonesian Embassy in Dhaka and related institutions in the accreditation country so that the target of diplomacy performance in the national interest is achieved, “said Rina P Soemarno.

In accordance with the decision of the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs number 2909 / B / KP / 11/2018, Colonel Chb Mardikan as officials of the Defense Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Dhaka having working areas covering Bangladesh and Nepal and Bhutan.

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Moreover, with the presence of the Defense Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in Dhaka, it is hoped that it can build, maintain and enhance relations and cooperation in the military and defense fields with the Armed Forces / Defense Ministry and other institutions in the countries of Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. (TR/Sj/R04)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)