Navy to be made 3D: PM

Hasina commissions two naval warships at Mongla Naval Base.

Bagerhat, Mar 5 (bdnews24.com) — Bangladesh Navy will be made three dimensional (3D) in line with the government's plan to bring dynamism into the naval force, the prime minister has said.

Commissioning two naval warships at Mongla Naval Base on Saturday morning, Sheikh Hasina said the government was working to make the Bangladesh Navy more dynamic and modern.

The commissioned warships are 'BNS Dhaleshwari' and 'BNS Bijoy'.

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister urged the Navy to remain vigilant in ensuring security and protecting the marine boundary of the country.

Elaborating the modernisation plan of the Navy, the prime minister said initiative was underway to procure two warships from China with helicopter landing and take-off facilities.

She also referred to various steps had been taken by the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman government.

State minister for labour and employment Begum Monnujan Sufian, chiefs of the three services and Navy Khulna region commanding officer Commodore K T Zaman earlier received Hasina on her arrival at the naval base by a helicopter around 10am.

After the commissioning of the two warships, the prime minister started for Khulna Shipyard around 11:30am to inaugurate the construction of five patrol crafts of the Bangladesh Navy.

Shipping minister Shahjahan Khan, prime minister's security advisor Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddik, four MPs of Bagerhat and NSI chief Maj Gen Manjur Ahmed were, among others, present at the Mongla programme.

Navy officials said BNS Dhaleshwari and BNS Bijoy would function as 'offshore patrol vessels' to protect the maritime border.

Each of the warships will be operated by seven officers and 43 sailors (naval), they added.

The warships had been commissioned in British Royal Navy with their names as 'HMS Leeds Castle' and 'HMS Dumbarton Castle' in 1981.

Made by Scotland-based Hall Russell Company of Aberdeen, the warships had also been used in Falkland War in 1982.

The warships were operational in British Royal Navy until 2005. After that they were used to ensure the security of fishermen and oil field platforms in Britain and Falkland coastal zones.

Bangladesh bought the warships for its Navy in 2010.

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