BD gets five patrol boats from Japan

Japan has handed over five patrol boats to the Bangladesh Navy under the Official Security Assistance (OSA) as part of efforts to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries, reports UNB.

This is the first OSA project for Bangladesh, which was decided by the Government of Japan as the OSA FY 2023 project, said the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.

This aims to assist the Bangladesh Navy operating in the Bay of Bengal by enhancing its operational capabilities for monitoring, surveillance and disaster relief through the provision of the patrol boats.

The assistance is expected to contribute to the maintenance and enhancement of maritime security not only in the Bay of Bengal but also in the Indo-Pacific region.

The handover ceremony was held at BNS Nirvik, located in Chattogram, on July 2. Japan's Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Shimada Tomoaki, Ambassador of Japan Saida Shinichi, and Defence Adviser to Prime Minister of Bangladesh Brigadier General A K M Shamsul Islam were present.

At the ceremony, the Bangladesh side expressed its gratitude for the provision of equipment through OSA, expressed its expectation of the "deepening of security cooperation" with Japan triggered by the OSA project, and appreciated Japan's contribution to regional peace and stability.

Shimada Tomoaki expressed his hope that this assistance would further strengthen cooperation between Japan and Bangladesh in the area of security.

OSA is a grant aid cooperation framework that provides equipment and supplies, as well as assistance for the development of infrastructure, to the armed forces and other related organisations of recipient countries.