Bangladesh Ordnance Factories [BOF]

Bangladesh Ordnance Factories (BOF) is a large defence industrial complex under the Army Headquarters, Bangladesh Army. BOF is situated about 50 km from Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, at Gazipur Cantonment, a model township with most of the civic amenities available. It was inaugurated in 1970. Although it suffered considerable damage during the War of Liberation 1971, its capabilities have since been restored and expanded over these years. Initially BOF was set up with technologies machines, equipment and support facilities from China, Later those from Germany, Italy, Australia, Belgium and Austria were added. BOF can now boast a mix of conventional as well as state of the art processes/systems including computerized controlled machines.

It has the following main factories :

1. Small Arms Factory
2. Small Arms Ammunition Factory
3. Grenade Manufacturing Factory
4. Artillery Ammunition Factory
5. Tools Manufacturing Plant

Based on the Quality Management Systems practiced, BOF has been awarded ISO 9001-2000 in the year 2006. Slowly yet steadily, BOF is positioning itself not only to attain self-reliance on manufacturing and supply of arms and ammunitions to Bangladesh Armed Forces but also to join the export market.

In the defence arena, Bangladesh Ordnance Factories (BOF) is a unique installation of its kind. After the Indo-Pak war in 1965 the then Pakistan Government felt the necessity to establish an ordnance factory at the present location and there by establishment of Bangladesh Ordnance Factories commenced in 1968 with the technical and financial assistance of Peoples Republic of China. The total area of the factory is 302.86 acres. It was then governed through POF Board with a Brigadier as its Chairman.

On 06 April 1970 the factory was formally inaugurated, but in 1971 due to our liberation war, construction work was hampered and the Chinese team left the factory. In 1976 a 45 member technical team came from China and completed remaining works like provisioning of machinery, tools, gauges, fixture etc. In 1977 the factory went for regular production.

In 1981 another Chinese team came and established the explosive section of the factory to produce primer for the Small Arms Ammunition. With the assistance of Chinese experts, the BMR (Balancing, Modernization and Replacement) Project started in 1982 and completed in 1987. After the successful completion of BMR Project the yearly production target of the factory was determined as 2500 nos rifles and 15 millions ammunition per annum.

In 1988 BOF with a Major General as its commandant was directly placed under Chief of Army Staff's Secretariat and a new organizational setup with a total manpower of 2235 was approved. In 2000 the Gazette notification for new organizational setup was published. In May 2002 the Gazette notification on Recruitment & Promotion Rule was finally approved and published. Between 2002 - 2005 three new manufacturing shops started. These are TNT filling plant, Grenade manufacturing plant and Induction furnace plant.

Project of T-81-1 Assault Rifle production factory was also been under taken between 2004-2005. By 2005 the Bangladesh government had taken some steps toward capacity enhancement of the Bangladesh Ordnance Factory [BOF]. The top military leaders were of the view that Bangladesh could increase combat readiness through modernizing its small and heavy weapons manufacturing facilities so that necessary weapons and ammunitions could be manufactured in the country. In 2006 a licensed production agreement was signed with China North Industries Corp (NORINCO) to manufactureat the automatic 7.62 mm Type 81 assault rifle at the Bangladesh Ordnance Factory (BOF) in Ghazipur, near the capital Dhaka.

This project came into production on 20 April 2008. Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed inaugurated the modern factory for production of sophisticated rifles of BD-08 model at Bangladesh Ordnance Factory (BOF) here on 28 April 2008. Gen Moeen hoped that the BOF would produce more new firearms/equipments in future for the armed forces to strengthen the capability of country's defense. The factory, set up under an agreement between Bangladesh and Chinese governments, has a production capacity of 10,000 rifles per annum in a single shift.

Expansion project of small arms and ammunition production (named as CB-10 Project) was undertaken in the year 2010-11. The factory setup was almost completed and waiting for inauguration ceremony for continuous production.

Bangladesh Ordnance Factories(BOF) is committed to manufacturing world class arms, ammunitions and explosives through progressive and stringent quality of materials and products and continual improvement of its management system processes and technical expertise. In order to achieve this, BOF maintains strict quality checks at every level of production by both BOF and its customer’s representatives following the requirements of ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management Systems. Quality in BOF is the resultant synergy of employee welfare, employee participation and freedom of creativity. It is, therefore, the policy of BOF to ensure that all decisions concerning quality management are made through participative management having highest standard of discipline, integrity, professional ethics and high sense of responsibility, loyalty and accountability.