Bangladesh Navy offers training to Lebanese Navy
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| Bangladesh Navy Assistant Naval Staff (operation) AMMM Aurangjeb Chowdhury talking training of Lebanese navy with Lebanese Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj Gen Walid Salman in Beirut, the Lebanese capital, yesterday. Courtesy:The Daily Star |
Bangladesh Navy yesterday offered Lebanese navy thorough training in naval aspects on maritime strategy and warfare as Lebanon strives to upgrade its capability.
Bangladesh's Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (operations) Rear Admiral AMMM Aurangzeb Chowdhury met Lebanese Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj Gen Walid Salman in Beirut and made the offer.
Lebanese navy said it is keen on sending its personnel for training and sought for detailed curriculum.
Aurangzeb is now in Beirut to send back two Bangladeshi naval ships--BNS Osman and BNS Madhumati, which are on UN duty--home. They will be replaced by two more ships--BNS Ali Haider and BNS Nirmul.
These two ships have completed four years of continuous duty as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil).
Unifil launched its lone maritime task force in Lebanon after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 2006. Israel had demanded that the sea route for weapon smuggling into Lebanon be stopped as a prerequisite to its withdrawal.
Bangladesh joined this taskforce in 2010 with 320 sailors and officers. Other countries participating in the task force are Germany, Brazil, Greece, Indonesia and Turkey.
Lebanese Armed Forces Chief of Staff Salman yesterday gratefully recalled the role of Bangladesh navy in securing his country's maritime boundary. “We want Bangladesh to continue the maritime interdiction operation,” he said. “Because of them no ships carrying weapons could illegally enter Lebanon. This played a big role in maintaining peace.”
Commanding officer of BNS Osman Capt Abul Kalam Azad was also present during the meeting.
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