52 replies to this topic

[Maruf]

http://www.dailytime...6-2-2003_pg7_45

[b]B’desh naval chief meets Rao[/b]

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Bangladesh Naval Staff Rear Admiral Shah Iqbal Mujtaba who is currently on an official visit to Pakistan, spoke to Defence Minister Rao Sikander Iqbal here on Tuesday.

The Bangladesh Naval Chief also visited the Defence Export Promotion Organization and showed keen interest in the equipment on display.

The Rear Admiral also visited the Joint Staff Headquarters and Air Headquarters. He called on the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Abdul Aziz Khan and the acting Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Syed Qaiser Hussain , and discussed with them matters of bilateral interest, a press release issued here said.

[fasih khan]

now this is what we need in islamic world ''united we stand'' help each other getting better in all fields of life and show unity............. that world should know that we are not the easy target.......

[Maruf]

I am all for cooperation between Bangladesh and Pakistan and am very happy to see that both the nations are cooperating in different socio-economic and defense fields.

[Mashraf]

I am with you fasih khan :thumbsup:

[fasih khan]

''I am with you fasih khan''

thanks brother.......jazakum allah kher.

[Mashraf]

You are welcome

[Maruf]

[b]Chinese navy chief meets Bangladesh guest[/b]

PLA Daily 2004-09-23

BEIJING, Sept. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Zhang Dingfa, commander of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, met with Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, chief of army staff of Bangladesh Army, here Wednesday.

Zhang, also member of the Central Military Commission, praised Sino-Bangladesh friendly relationship as a model for countries of different sizes and different social systems, noting that the friendship has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people of the two countries.

During the meeting, Zhang also expressed China's readiness to make concerted efforts with Bangladesh for reinforcing and advancing the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries and their armed forces, especially their navies.

Mashhud spoke highly of the growth of friendly ties between China and Bangladesh and their armed forces and pledged making positive efforts to further develop the relationship between the two armies.

[Maruf]

Chinese navy has excelled in ship building. Bangladesh navy has taken an elaborate plan to build ships in its own dockyard in Khulna. Bangkladesh navy can seek technology from China to build missile boats, torpedo boats, gun boats, offshore patrol vessels, and frigates. Bangladesh should continue its policy to buy all ships, small and big, from China. That way China will be interested in transfering its technology to Bangladesh.

I also hope Bangladesh will send more naval officers to China for higher training in naval architecture. Currently Bangladesh sends cadets to China, Russia and Britain for training in naval architecture.

[Maruf]

http://www.intellige...410&sub=General

[b]PLA to upgrade Bangla port facility[/b]

29 September 2004:

Bangladesh is seeking cooperation from the Chinese Peoples’ Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) for upgrading its Chittagong Port naval facility to launch joint patrolling of the Bay of Bengal to prevent smuggling, piracy and terrorism.

The Bangladesh army chief, General Hasan Masshud Chowdhry, who visited China last week, has given the green signal to PLAN to go ahead with the project which could cost $1.5 million over a period of two years.

During his meeting with PLAN chief Zhang Dingfa in Beijing, General Chowdhry conveyed the necessity to upgrade the Chittagong facility on a build-operate-transfer basis with PLAN who he considers a “reliable friend”.

[b]PLAN has sent nine delegations since 2000 to explore the possibility to set up a joint base with the Bangladesh navy as part of China’s eastward expansion into the Bay of Bengal.[/b]

[Maruf]

I think its a good move by the Bangladesh armed forces. China has been maintaining a cordial relation with Bangladesh for almost 3 decades. China has demonstrated the maturity and sincerity to be a reliable and productive friend. Bangladesh has a lot to gain, both economically and militarily, by allowing China establish a joint base.

Sure, it will be viewed with contempt by the Indian elites. It is most likely that they will consider it a move against Indian strategic interest. But the thing is that, the defence relationship between Bangladesh and China is also viewed as a move against indian security by the big boys in Delhi. Bangladesh cannot remain in oblivion about her security needs. We, as a sovereign nation, have the right to take befitting measures to consolidate our economy and security. India has not been able to convey any strong signal to Bangladesh to help her(Bangladesh) in economic and security issues. Bangladesh has no other option but to align itself with China and ASEAN for economic and security help.

[Maruf]

http://www.thedailys...41013012220.htm

[b]Dhaka, Delhi discuss joint navy exercise scope[/b]

Pallab Bhattacharya, New Delhi

[b]India and Bangladesh yesterday discussed the possibility of conducting joint exercises between their navies soon[/b].

The issue came up for discussion when Bangladesh Navy chief Rear Admiral Shah Iqbal Mujtaba met his Indian counterpart Admiral Arun Prakash here, a defence ministry spokesperson said.

This is the first visit by a Bangladesh Chief of Naval Staff since 1998.

Admiral Prakash emphasised the need for more frequent navy-to-navy interaction to build mutual confidence and trust, while Admiral Mujtaba appreciated the Indian navy extending support to train Bangladesh navy personnel in India, said the spokesperson.

Mujtaba, who arrived here yesterday on a weeklong tour, is scheduled to visit all the three Indian Naval Commands where he will be briefed on various training facilities. He is also slated to visit Agra and Ajmer.

Earlier, he was presented an impressive guard of honour on arrival at the South Block.

Mujtaba also met Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and discussed exchange of goodwill visits.

Mukherjee described Bangladesh as "[b]one of our most friendly neighbours[/b]," according to a Bangladesh High Commission press release.

[Raptor]

[b]Maruf[/b], what is happening ? While I see venom-spitting from our dear Bangladeshi friends here in this forum, your Navy chief is exploring building patrol boats in Indian shipyards.

Or, is it to see how we are progressing on our ADS which is also going on in CSL (Cochin Shipyrds Ltd.) ?

BTW, if you are discussing your naval chief's visit to India (and possibly other countries), you should change the title of this thread. My 2 cents. TIA.

[Maruf]

[b]Maruf[/b], what is happening ? While I see venom-spitting from our dear Bangladeshi friends here in this forum, your Navy chief is exploring building patrol boats in Indian shipyards.

There are three reasons for this.

[b]Confidence building measure[/b]
Raptor, you know that Bangladesh navy is in the process of buying 4 submarines, 3 frigates, and 12 other armed vessels such as gun boats, patrol boats and corvettes. This is a huge naval force development given the size of the economy of Bangladesh. Bangladesh does not wish to give a signal to India that these purchases have hostile motives.

[b]Common security concern[/b]
Bangladesh and India both have common maritime borders, which are, unfortunately, largely unprotected against sea pirates, big time drug dealers, and arms smugglers. So, policing the Indo-Bangla maritime borders is necessary for both the nations to maintain peace and harmony. Both the navies are working to coordinate their policing activities to better manage the porous sea routes.
In order to do the policing job, patrol boats are needed. Buying patrol boats from Eoropean countries or even from China could cost $15-25 million. Given the annual budget of Bangladesh navy, it is better to buy such small time ships from India/Pakistan. Buying such ships from India will also make sure greater interoperability between the navies.

[b]Inadequate capacity of the local shipyard[/b]
Bangladesh is busy making a 900 ton offsore patrol vessel at the moment. Besides that, after the successful completion of this off shore patrol vessel, Bangladesh will make 3000 ton frigates for its navy. So, the small naval shipyard is not in a position to make patrol boats at the moment.

Or, is it to see how we are progressing on our ADS which is also going on in CSL (Cochin Shipyrds Ltd.) ?

Though such ships are always attractive, I doubt that the BN team will show extra ordinary interest in that ship.

[MB444]

BN ship leaves Ctg on 4-states’ goodwill visit

CHITTAGONG, Nov 15:- The Bangladesh Navy ship Umar Farooq left the naval jetty here today on a month-long training-c.um-goodwill visit to Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, says BSS.

Commanded by Commander Nizam Uddin with Senior Officer Present Afloat (SOPA)Captain ASMA Awal, BN, the ship has complement of 67 officers, including some trainee officers and officers representing the Ministry of Defence, the Bangladesh Army, the Bangladesh Air Force, and 266 sailors, an ISPR Press release said.

During the visit to the four countries, the SOPA, accompanied by other naval officers, will call on high military officials and visit various naval training centres, repairing facilities and historical places. Members of the ship’s company will take part in friendly basketball, football and other games with navy teams of the host countries.

The BN ship will also take part in the International Maritime Aerospace Exhibition Lima-2005 to be held at Langkawi in Malaysia. Naval ships belonging to Australia, Brunei, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, New Zealand and many other countries are also expected to participate in the exhibition.

The Umar Farooq is scheduled to return home on December 20. Earlier, local senior naval officers bade farewell to the ship and her crew prior to their departure, the press release added.


Link

[Maruf]

This Umar Faruk battle ship is so old that some naval people call it the turtle of Bay of Bengal. There is a plan to replace the 3 old frigates of Bangladesh navy but the finance ministry has no money to procure new ships. Just think, they import goods worth $10 billions from the outside world but can't spend a few hundred dollars to buy battle ships.

Nevertheless, this training mission will give our navy an opportunity to acquire skills in sea warfare from other friendly navies. The existing cooperation in the field of naval warfare will be enhanced, no doubt.