Chittagong – Issuing a note of warning that her government will not spare those patronising militancy, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked the Bangladesh Coast Guard to take proper steps against militancy in the areas under their jurisdiction alongside other law enforcement agencies. UNB news agency reported
“Bangladesh is not a militant state and we’ve adopted a zero ‘tolerance policy’ to curb militancy…our government won’t spare those who are sheltering and patronising militancy,” she said.
The Prime Minister said while speaking after commissioning two ships for Bangladesh Coast Guard named ‘CGS Syed Nazrul’ and ‘CGS Tajuddin’ at the Coast Guard Berth in Patenga.
The two new parol vessels have been named after close associates of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and national leaders Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam and Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed respectively.
The Prime Minister also said Bangladesh Coast Guard has now become a symbol of confidence and security among the people of this coastal region due to the force personnel’s honesty, dutifulness, sincere efforts, farsightedness and efficiency.
The Italian Navy handed over two vessels to Bangladesh Coast Guard under an agreement signed during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Italy in 2014.
Under the agreement, the Italian Navy would also hand over two more vessels, ‘CGS Mansur Ali’ and ‘CGS Kamaruzzaman’ to Bangladesh Coast Guard this year.
Assuring that her government will continue its support for the expansion and modernisation of the Coast Guard, she said, “We’re aware of manpower constraints of the Coast Guard, and the issue of raising manpower and oceangoing big vessels of the force is our under consideration alongside increasing working area and the areas under its jurisdiction.”
Despite manpower limitations, Hasina said, Bangladesh Coast Guard is making special contributions towards safeguarding huge maritime area as well as lives and property of the coastal people.
Hasina said the Coast Guard is playing a responsible role in protecting national interest of the country, including water resources, safeguarding river route, stopping illegal intrusion, checking smuggling and containing the activities of pirates in the Sundarbans.
Pointing to the contribution of the coast guards to ‘blue economy’ activities as well as taking effective steps against sea pollution, Hasina said they are keeping economic activities in rivers, sea, coast and deep sea safe and dynamic.
“The Chittagong Sea Port has now been recognised as a secure port by the International Maritime Bureau,” she said.
The Prime Minister mentioned that the Coast Guard is being made stronger to protect the country’s huge sea areas earned through winning the maritime boundary cases in the international courts.
To strengthen the Coast Guard further, she said, the capability of the force to train up the manpower has been increased through establishing its own training base in Patuakhali region.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard Rear Admiral Aurangzeb Chowdhury were present on the dais.
Ministers, parliament members, chiefs of three services, diplomats and high civil and military officials were present on the occasion.
