To receive two ships for the Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG), a five-member high profile team will leave for Italy today where the title of the ships will be transferred through a ceremony. Sources in Ministry of Home Affairs told The Asian Age that the government had bought four ships for the BCG to strengthen monitoring in the country's coastal belt measuring around 118,813 square kilometers in the Bay of Bengal.
Mustafa Kamal-uddin, Secretary, Public Security Division of the ministry of home affairs, will lead the team. Other members are: Rear Admiral AMM Aurangjeb Chowdhury, Captain M Mamunur Rashid, Commander Abul Hasnat Mohammad Shamim and Lt Commander Moham-mad Tanvir Hossain Bhuiyan. As per the agreement, the ships are to be supplied in two consignments, the sources in the ministry said adding that the first supply of two ships was commissioned about six months ago.
The ships came in the first consignment were named after national leaders Tajuddin Ahmned and Syed Nazrul Islam. The remaining two ships which are to be taken by the team will be named after two other national leaders- Abul Hasnat Mohammad Kamruzz-aman and Captain Mohammad Mansur Ali.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina commissioned the first two ships which are involved in monitoring our coastal belt and also used in fishing in the sea. These two ships also protect our mineral and marine resources in the coastal areas. The ships of the second consignment will reach the country within December next, the sources said. The ships will guard a total of 200 nautical miles' economic zones of the country and protect the marine resources and aquatic biodiversity of about 354 nautical miles from the Chittagong coastal area.
Since 2014, our neighboring countries, have been fishing in Bangladesh territory in the Bay of Bengal causing huge plunder of aquatic resources. These ships will also be used to stop smuggling and other criminal activities including human trafficking.
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