Bangladesh government would purchase four ships (corvettes) from Italy

[Major Shaitan Singh]

The government would purchase four ships (corvettes) from Italy, to strengthen the capacity of Bangladesh Coast Guard and secure the country’s sea-boundary.

A delegation headed by state minister for home affairs, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, including the director-general (DG) of Bangladesh Coast Guard, visited Italy recently and inspected the 25- to 30-year-old ships, used by the Italian navy. Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told The Independent the Italian authorities have sent a state-to-state purchase proposal. “We are scrutinising the proposal. It would take a few months to complete the process of procuring the ships. We want to procure the ships, to strengthen the capacity of the force and stop piracy and smuggling."
Director (operation) of the force, Mahmuh Hossain Zia, told The Independent that all the ships have helicopter decks, anti-pollution equipment, mid-guns, fire-fighting equipment, and other equipment necessary to conduct offshore patrolling.
“We will start negotiations with the Italian authorities, from next month, to purchase the ships. We will ask them to send two ships in 2016, and the rest in 2017, after repairs. We want to operate the ships for the next 20 years,” he informed.
Coast Guard DG Md Mokbul Hossain said that four more offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), including two harbour patrol boats, would be built by the Narayanganj Shipyard, to strengthen the force.
The coast guard zonal commander (east zone), Captain Shahidul Islam, informed that the Bangladesh Navy will provide six patrol craft sweepers (PCS)s to the Coast Guard, soon, to conduct offshore patrolling. “We have 112 ships and 90 safe defenders and metal shark boats for operation,” he said.
Sources in the coast guard said the US has sent an offer letter to the authorities, to sell safe defender and metal shark boats, for the force.
The government has already created 518 posts of nine categories, including commander, Lt-Commander, and lieutenant, to strengthen capacity of the force, to stop piracy and smuggling.
According to the sources, there are 10 stations—Supati, Dubeki, Kokilmoni, Puspokathi, Nidraskina, Ramgati, Swandip, Kutubdia, Moheshkhali and Teknaf—of the coast guard in the country, to conduct operations. More manpower, offshore patrol vessels, and modern equipment, are required to strengthen the force.
Officials informed they are preparing proposals for the purchase of two helicopters, two big vessels, and other important equipment, for smooth running of operations by the force.
The role of the coast guard is to preserve national interests at sea, protect fisheries, prevent illegal immigration through the sea, control pollution, control piracy, prevent smuggling, trafficking of illegal arms, drugs and narcotics, carry out disaster relief, search and rescue operations, preserve forests, and conduct surveillance over the country’s maritime territory.

Govt to buy four more ships for Coast Guard

 

[fallen_soldier]

this topic is already exist in this following thread
Bangladesh Coast Guard to get 4 ships from Italy & defender and metal shark from USA

 

[Homo Sapiens]

Cassiopea class patrol boat