Dhaka: In the largest delivery of coastguard
boats to a nation, the US today donated 16 defender vessels to
Bangladesh navy to enhance its counter terrorism capacity and
secure maritime boundary.
"This donation is the largest delivery of US Coast Guard
boats to any nation," the US embassy said in a statement.
The US Ambassador to the country James F Moriarty handed
over the boats to Bangladesh Assistant Chief of Naval Staff
for Operations Rear Admiral M F Habib at the southeastern
Chittagong Port.
The first sixteen boats are expected to significantly
improve the maritime interdiction and counter terrorism
capabilities of Bangladesh?s new Navy Special Operations
Force.
"A process is underway to handover five more such 25-feet
boats to Bangladesh Coast Guard. The United States Government
provided the Defender boats at Bangladesh`s request to improve
the Bangladesh Navy’s and Coast Guard’s abilities to disrupt
criminal organizations and transnational terrorist groups
seeking to exploit Bangladesh’s maritime borders," it said.
"The US and Bangladesh will conduct several joint
exercises in the coming months to train Bangladesh Navy and
Coast Guard sailors on how to effectively utilize this
important new law enforcement and counter terrorism tool," the
statement added.
The US would continue to support Bangladesh`s efforts to
protect its maritime borders and "the donation demonstrates
the United States Government’s commitment to Bangladesh and to
regional security by promoting military-to-military
relationships throughout Asia and the Pacific".
PTI
