Asia-Pacific armies cruise to discuss challenges

The second day of the Asia-Pacific armies’ seminar has been held in a military vessel on the Padma river.

Officers from the ranks of lieutenant colonels to lieutenant generals of the 32 nations’ platform discussed the issues of environmental threats on Monday, second day of the four-day seminar.

Bangladesh is co-hosting the event with the US Army Pacific after 22 years.

The multinational military seminar is a brainchild of US Army Pacific to discuss challenges and opportunities of the region’s land forces.

Colonel Ruben Segura of Chile and Brigadier General Dharma Bahadur Baniya of Nepal presented the keynote where they highlighted co-operation for better response to disaster.

Bangladesh Army’s vessel Landing Craft Tank (LCT) Shaktisanchar which is being used to carry tanks to remote island stations has been refurbished with air-conditioned seminar room.

The decks have been decorated like a dining hall at a convention centre.

The military officers in casual attire were engaged in serious discussion amid high security petrol around the vessel on Padma.

Commander of the US Army Pacific Command General Vincent Brooks and Chief of Army Staff General Iqbal Karim Bhuyan were onboard with their spouses.

A group of young musicians have performed English songs onboard while people on the river bank portrayed Bangladesh’s tradition and culture presenting colourful Palki dance and folk music.

Hundreds of people gathered and waved their hands as the heavily guarded ship was on the way back to the Mawa ferry terminal after more than two hours of cruise.

A group of painters have been seen drawing portrait of the foreign officers sitting scattered on the deck.

Tahmina Karim, wife of the Chief of Army Staff, presented those portraits to the officers at the end of the cruise.

The seminar has been aimed to foster better understanding with each other to face common challenges.

The two generals at the inauguration on Sunday called upon the Asia-Pacific regional countries’ land forces to work together to fight off common threats ranging from international terrorism to climate change.

The ISPR had initially said all the 32 member states joined the seminar.

However, last night they revised the number of participating countries to 24 as, according to an official, others cancelled in the last moment.

The US Army Pacific began this seminar only with nine countries at Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1978, and since then it is being organised in different parts of the world.