Tank Chinese, but ammo Pakistani? Blast in Bangladesh sparks blame game

"Bol wo rahe hai, lekin shabd humare hai (He may be saying it, but the words are mine)". Remember the famous dialogue by librarian Dubey during Chatur's iconic speech in the movie 3 Idiots? A similar scene appears to be unfolding after a Chinese-origin tank recently exploded during a military exercise in Bangladesh, killing two soldiers. The incident has sparked a blame game on social media, with Chinese defence commentators speculating that while the tank may have been Chinese, the ammunition was made in Pakistan and could be behind the blast.

On September 9, a Chinese-origin Type 59 tank exploded during a live-fire exercise in Bangladesh's Chattogram, killing two soldiers and seriously injuring another. While Bangladesh confirmed the incident, it did not reveal the reason behind the blast.TANK BLAST IN BANGLADESH RAISES CONCERNS

Several reports identified the tank as a Chinese-origin Type 59. A few others described it as a Type 69-IIG. Notably, the Bangladesh army's tank fleet largely comprises Chinese-origin platforms.

The Type 59 tank, produced between 1958 and 1985, is the Chinese version of the Soviet T-54A main battle tank. It has been part of the Bangladesh army's inventory for decades. Apart from Bangladesh, the tank is still used by a handful of nations like Pakistan, Zambia, and Chad.

While the exact cause of the blast is yet to be identified, Chinese bloggers and users on Weibo have sought to shift the blame to ammunition used in the tank. Some have specifically pointed towards high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds supplied by Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) in Wah, Punjab.

Screenshots from Weibo shared on X show several Chinese accounts shifting blame to Pakistani-made ammunition for the tank explosion in Bangladesh. Among them is a user named Dingsheng, a well-known military commentator.

India Today, however, could not verify the authenticity of the claims on Weibo. Neither has Bangladesh responded to the viral allegations.

What we know is that POF Wah produces HEAT and other tank ammunition, and supplies have been made to Bangladesh. In fact, after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in 2024 following a bloody student uprising, Bangladesh has sought to deepen its military ties with Pakistan.

In 2024, Bangladesh ordered 40,000 rounds of ammunition, including 2,000 units of tank ammo, from Pakistan's Ordnance Factories, according to a report in Financial Express. It was a notable escalation from the previous year's order.CHINESE BLOGGERS SHIFT BLAME TO PAKISTAN AMMO

To substantiate their claims, several Chinese bloggers pointed to a similar tank explosion in Bangladesh in 2024. In 2024, a Chinese Type 59 Durjoy tank exploded at the same firing range, killing one Bangladeshi soldier.

Subsequently, Chinese experts travelled to Bangladesh to investigate the incident.

Chinese defence commentators claimed the probe attributed the blast to substandard 125 mm HE-FS TK ammunition manufactured by POF in Wah.

It is pertinent to keep in mind here that these earlier findings and the latest social media claims should not be treated as confirmation of the cause of this week's tank explosion in Bangladesh.

Interestingly, there have been concerns raised in Pakistan itself over the quality of tank ammunition. In 2022, Pakistani auditors reportedly flagged quality issues involving the tank ammunition.

The incident is particularly sensitive for Bangladesh as it seeks to deepen its defence ties with both China and Pakistan.

Reacting to the Chinese claims, Lieutenant General DP Pandey (retired) said Bangladesh should be cautious about relying unquestioningly on either side. "Bangladesh should know that neither side can be trusted," Lt General Pandey tweeted.

Previously, Thailand too had pointed out issues with its Chinese-origin VT-4 tanks during a conflict with Cambodia. Thailand had claimed that the tanks had their barrels blown while firing.

Even during last year's Operation Sindoor, several Chinese equipment, including HQ-9 air defence systems, used by Pakistan came a cropper.

Despite this, Bangladesh has moved to deepen its defence ties with Beijing. Last month, Bangladesh confirmed a deal to purchase Chinese 4.5-generation J-10CE fighter jets. Bangladesh is China's second-largest arms buyer after Pakistan.- EndsPublished By: Abhishek DePublished On: Sep 11, 2026 18:07 IST