The incident took place at the Hathazari Field Firing Range while soldiers were carrying out firing drills from the tank, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR).

Two soldiers killed, officer injured

The two soldiers inside the tank were killed in the explosion, while a Bangladesh Army officer suffered serious injuries, The Daily Star reported.

The injured officer is being airlifted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka for advanced medical treatment.

Chinese-origin Type 59 tank explodes

The tank involved in the accident was reportedly a Chinese-origin Type 59 operated by the Bangladesh Army.

The explosion occurred during a scheduled firing exercise at the Hathazari range. However, the exact cause of the blast has not yet been established.

The ISPR said necessary steps are being taken to determine what triggered the explosion.

No further details were immediately available on whether the blast was caused by a technical malfunction, ammunition-related issue or another factor.

Authorities are expected to investigate the incident and establish the circumstances surrounding the deadly accident.