3D Navy to safeguard maritime boundary:PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday stressed the need for a skilled, modern and balanced three-dimensional naval force to safeguard the country’s maritime boundary despite the current financial constraint. She made the remarks while addressing a function marking the commissioning of two modern frigates at Bangladesh Navy. The Prime Minister commissioned BNS Abu Bakar and BNS Ali Haider, procured from China as part of modernising the country’s naval force. She handed over the commissioning orders of the two ships to the captains and formally unveiled their plaques. For the formation of a strong naval force, Hasina said, the government will include by 2015 two ultramodern corvettes, now under construction in China. As part of the efforts to make the naval force a three-dimensional one, the process to include two submarines is finalized, and these will be added to the naval fleet at the end of 2015. Navy chief vice admiral Farid Habib and commander of the Chittagong naval zone Rear Admiral M Akhter Habib welcomed the Prime Minister as she arrived at the BNS Naval base Isa Khan. Later, the Prime Minister boarded the largest BN Ship Samudra Joy and BNS Abu Bakar and saw warfare of the ships, according to UNB.