UNB, Dhaka :
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller has handed over 20 vessels to Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard.
The vessels were handed over through a virtual ceremony with Assistant Chief of Naval Staff for Operations Rear Admiral M Ashraful Haqand Coast Guard Director General Rear Admiral Ashraf Hoq Chowdhury.
The event marked the formal handover of 10 – 38-foot (11-metre) -Defiant Class Metal Shark boatsand 10 – 25-foot (8-metre) -Defender Class boatsto the navy and coast guard following a request of the Bangladesh government.
The US provided theMetal Shark and Defender boatsto improve Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard’s abilities to conduct maritime security operations and increase their capacity to monitor, patrol and respond to threats within the country’s coastal waters andexclusive economic zone.
The 20 boats will significantly improve the maritime interdiction,
and counterterrorism capabilities of the coast guard and navy’sSpecial Operations Force Special Warfare Dive and Salvage Unit,the US Embassy in Dhaka said Thursday. The US and Bangladesh will conduct joint exercises in the coming months to train Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard sailors to use this important new law enforcement and counterterrorism tool.
“These boats are another great example of the long history of close security cooperation between the US and Bangladesh,” Ambassador Miller said.
The donation demonstrates the US’ commitment to supporting Bangladesh in protecting its maritime borders and the freedom of navigation in the Bay of Bengal, said the embassy.
