Bangladesh is ready to inaugurate on Wednesday the operational activities of its largest and first southern naval base, named after Sher-e-Bangla, aimed at ensuring maritime security in the vast area of the southern region and protecting important establishments like Payra Port and Payra Power Plant.
The base contains four patrol craft and four Landing Craft Utility (LCUs), built locally at the Sher-e-Bangla base and Khulna Shipyard Limited. It also has an aviation facility, according to several Navy officials.
The patrol craft are named after Squadron Shaheed Daulat, Shaheed Farid, Shaheed Mohibullah and Shaheed Akhtar Uddin, while the LCUs go by the terms Dolphin, Whale, Tuna and Penguin.
Maritime experts hope that the base and the ships will play an important role in the prevention of illegal fishing, smuggling, human trafficking, piracy and drug trafficking in the region. They will also play a vital role in combating cyclones and other natural disasters.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to commission the base by attending the ceremony virtually in the morning.
Earlier, the premier inaugurated the very first submarine base, “BNS Sheikh Hasina”, with modern basin facilities for the Navy at Pekua of Cox's Bazar on March 20.
BNS Sher-e-Bangla is going to be the first all-service naval base for the Bangladesh Navy, spanning an area of around 700 acres, at Rabnabad channel of Patuakhali, located beside the port and the power plant.
It will be the first green naval base beside the Andharmanik River which is very close to the Bay of Bengal.
Analysts said that this base will play an effective role in the maritime security and protection of the coastal areas in the southern part of the country as well as increasing the capacity of the navy in conducting modern training programs for the naval members.
In consideration of the importance of a specialized and permanent base in this region to protect marine resources, especially in the coastal area, domestic and foreign trade security, the initiative to build this base was taken to implement 'Forces Goal 2030'
On November 20, 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation for the base. On January 2, 2018, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved a project titled “Establishment of BNS Sher-e-Bangla Patuakhali”, worth Tk1,081.50 crore.
During the commissioning ceremony, Navy chief Admiral M Shaheen Iqbal will hand over the commissioning order to the base commander Commodore M Mohabbat Ali with the permission of the premier through a video teleconference (VTC) from Ganabhaban around 11am. The nameplate of the base will be formally unveiled as per the naval tradition.
Apart from commissioning eight naval vessels, a new naval training centre has been set up at the base with all modern facilities including administrative buildings, multipurpose sheds with aviation support and hangar facilities, and various repair and maintenance workshops have been constructed to facilitate operational activities.
While visiting the base area on Tuesday, our reporter observed a festive mood in the facility with the vessels decorated with colourful balloons and festoons.
The base also has aviation facilities and a commando handling unit of diving salvage, a Naval School and College, and a 50-bed hospital.
Maritime experts say the security of the sea and coastal areas will be strengthened through the deployment of patrol craft with fully indigenous technology.
Besides, the newly-constructed LCUs will be engaged in various activities, including relocating the forcibly displaced Myanmar people from Chittagong to Bhashan Char under the Asharyan-3 project and providing them with daily necessary logistics.
In addition, the LCUs are being used in various welfare activities with all kinds of support in coordination with the United Nations, international organizations and diplomats of different countries.
Bangladesh’s largest naval base ready for commissioning
PM Hasina to inaugurate the first green naval base Wednesday
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