Firefighting efforts started this morning in the Sundarbans East Zone’s Amurbunia area, following a fire that erupted on Saturday (May 04, 2024). The operation, which began at 9 am on Sunday (May 05, 2024), saw the coordinated efforts of the Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Forest Guard, and Fire Service. The initial response was led by a ten-member team from the Mongla naval base. Following this, members of the Fire Service attempted to set up water extraction from the nearby Bhola River. However, the operation faced a setback due to low tide conditions, delaying the water supply. Probe committee formed over Sundarbans fire Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Sundarbans East Zone, stated that logistical challenges prevented the operation from starting sooner. "The Navy, Coast Guard, and Air Force joined the Fire Service this morning to accelerate efforts. Local volunteers are also lending significant support," he reported. Mamun Ahmed, Deputy Director of Bagerhat Fire Service and Civil Defense, detailed the deployment of additional firefighting units. "Five units from various locations were dispatched to the site this morning, with three from Mongla, Morrelganj, and Shoronkhola actively engaging in the firefighting efforts. The remaining two units are on standby," he said. Fire breaks out at Sundarbans

Chief of Naval Staff, M Nazmul Hassan, has been promoted to the rank of Admiral. The navy chief was conferred the new rank in the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the latter’s official residence Ganabhaban on Sunday, said a press release. Read: New navy chief pays courtesy call on PM He was adorned with the new rank badge by Acting Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Ataul Hakim Sarwar Hasan and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan. PM’s Security Affairs Adviser, Major Gen (rtd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique; PM’s Principal Secretary, M Tofazzel Hossain Miah; Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, Lt Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman; and Senior Secretary of Defence Ministry, Golam Md Hashibul Alam, were present in the function. Read: New navy chief calls on President Shahabuddin

Indian Naval Ship, INS Kiltan arrived at Chattogram on Monday on a three-day goodwill visit as part of the ongoing close cooperation between the Navies of Bangladesh and India. The ship was given a warm welcome by the Bangladesh Navy. Naval cooperation between Bangladesh and India is an important pillar of the bilateral defence cooperation, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. Also Read: Chandpur to get 300-ft modern naval port in World Bank-backed project Regular exchange of ship visits has played an important role in strengthening mutual trust and understanding between the two Navies, it said. INS Kiltan is the third ship of P 28 class Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) corvettes, indigenously built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. Also Read: Chinese navy ship pays port call to Philippines in goodwill tour of region  

The massive fire at New Supermarket, next to Dhaka New Market, was finally doused this morning (April 16, 2023)- around 27 hours after it started and burnt down several shops and establishments during this busy Eid shopping season. Lima Khanom, duty officer (control room) of Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters said the flame was finally doused around 9 am today. Earlier yesterday, the fire broke out at around 5:40 am.  Read more: Fire at Dhaka’s New Supermarket now under control A total of 28 firefighting units and teams of Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force took part in the effort to douse the fire. The fire was brought under control around 9:10 am yesterday. Some 32 people, including firefighters, fell sick from the heavy smoke while firefighters were trying to douse the blaze. On April 4 morning, a massive fire broke out at Bangabazar Shopping Complex in Dhaka, burning several thousand shops to ashes. A total of six adjacent markets were also burnt. Read More: Fire safety system of New Supermarket was very weak: Fire Service The fire was doused on April 7, over 75 hours after it broke out.  

The fire that broke out at a cotton godown in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram district yesterday (March 11, 2023) morning was brought under control this morning, around 22 hours after the incident.   Sultan Mahmud, senior station officer of Kumira Fire Service and Civil Defence, confirmed the development, saying that the fire was brought under control with the help of Bangladesh Army and Navy around 8 am this (March 12, 2023) morning. Members of the army, navy and fire service are tirelessly working to douse the blaze completely, he said. The army will brief about the incident when the fire is extinguished, the fire service officer added. Read more: Sitakunda cotton godown fire: Army, Navy join efforts to control the blaze On Saturday night, members of the army and navy joined the fire service in fighting the fire.   Meanwhile, a 10-member probe committee, headed by Chattogram district administration’s deputy director Badiul Alam, was formed to investigate the fire. The committee was asked to submit a report within 5 working days, Md Towhidul Islam, executive magistrate of the district administration, said. He said there were 2700 tonnes of cotton inside the warehouse which made it difficult to bring the fire under control. Read More: Sitakunda cotton godown fire: Army, Navy join efforts to control the blaze The fire started at the cotton warehouse of Unitex Group in Chhoto Kumira area around 10:30 am yesterday. On information, five firefighting units from two stations responded to the fire and almost brought the blaze under control around 12 pm. But as the fire flared up again, firefighters struggled to douse the fire due to a lack of a constant supply of water in the area. Six more firefighting units joined in around 8 pm last night. Read More EU releases €1 million in emergency aid for people affected by fire in Rohingya camp in Bangladesh The origin of the fire and the extent of damage could not be ascertained immediately. Earlier on March 4, six people were burned to death and around 33 sustained injuries in a fire after a massive blast at Seema Oxygen Plant in the upazila.

Armed Forces Day will be observed across the country on Monday with due solemnity and enthusiasm. On this day in 1971, Bangladesh Armed Forces comprising army, navy and air force came into being and launched an all-out attack on the Pakistani occupation forces. Since the country's independence, the day has been observed as the Armed Forces Day every year. The day’s programmes will start with the offering of special prayers in mosques of all cantonments, naval outposts and establishments and air force outposts after Fajr prayers seeking divine blessings for the country’s welfare and progress and continued development and progress of the Armed Forces. Read more: Be ready to fight if enemy attacks peace-loving Bangladesh, PM urges armed forces President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will place wreaths at ‘Shikha Anirban’ (the Eternal Flame) at Dhaka Cantonment in the morning to pay homage to members of the Armed Forces who sacrificed their lives in the War of Liberation. President Abdul Hamid, who is also the supreme commander of the Armed Forces, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion. The chiefs of the three services will place wreaths at ‘Shikha Anirban’ at Dhaka Cantonment in the morning from their respective forces. Later, the three chiefs will pay courtesy calls on the president at Bangabhaban and the Prime Minister at the Armed Forces Division at Dhaka Cantonment. On the occasion, the Prime Minister will host a reception and meet the family members of the Bir Shresthas and other gallantry award-winning freedom fighters at Army Multipurpose Complex. In the afternoon, Sheikh Hasina will also host a reception at 4pm at Sena Kunja in Dhaka Cantonment to commemorate the day. The chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force will also accord receptions to the award-winning freedom fighters of their respective forces and their inheritors. Meanwhile, programmes have been chalked out to observe the day at all army garrisons, naval ships and establishments and air force bases throughout the country. Bangladesh Television (BTV) will broadcast a special programme titled ‘Special Anirban’ after its 8 pm bulletin on Monday highlighting the significance of the day. Bangladesh Betar will broadcast a special ‘Special Durbar’ programme at 7:30pm. The national dailies will publish special supplements on the occasion. President Abdul Hamid, who is also the supreme commander of the Armed Forces, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion. In his message, President Abdul Hamid said the government has formulated ‘Forces Goal 2030’ to modernize the Armed Forces. Under the purview of it, modern military equipment is being added to the Armed Forces which will undoubtedly make the forces more modern, efficient and dynamic. He also expected that, by imbibing the spirit of the great liberation war, the members of the Armed Forces will make every effort to uphold the glory of the armed forces through loyalty to the state and leadership with the coordination of hard work and patriotism. In her message, Prime Minister said “I hope that the members of Armed Forces will perform their duties with patriotism, professionalism and sincerity by imbibe the spirit of the Liberation War. We’ll be able to build a hunger-poverty-free and happy-rich golden Bangladesh dreamt by the Father of the Nation with the collective efforts of all.”

Bangladesh Navy have lifted the Bangabandhu 7th President Cup Fencing Championship title, winning six gold medals, as many silver medals and three bronze medals. Ansar-VDP became the first runners-up and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) the second runners-up. The closing ceremony and prize distribution programme of the fencing championship was held on Saturday at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium in Dhaka's Mirpur. Planning Minister MA Mannan attended the programme as the chief guest. Mesbah Uddin, secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and Lieutenant General Mainul Islam (retired), vice-president of the Bangladesh Olympic Association, were present as special guests. It was presided over by the Bangladesh Fencing Federation (BFF) President Shoeb Chowdhury. BFF General Secretary Selim Omrao Khan delivered the welcome speech. He sought Bangladesh Olympic Association's cooperation for the further advancement of fencing. Read more: 13th SA Games: Weightlifting, fencing bring more glory for Bangladesh  

A Chinese navy vessel arrived at a Beijing-built port in southern Sri Lanka on Tuesday, after its port call was earlier delayed due to apparent security concerns raised by India. The Yuan Wang 5 sailed into the Hambantota port and was welcomed by Sri Lankan and Chinese officials. The development could spark worry in India, which views China’s rising influence in the Indian Ocean with suspicion. Sri Lanka has referred to the Yuan Wang 5 as a “scientific research ship," but there are fears in India that the vessel could be used to surveil the region, with multiple media reports calling it a “dual-use spy ship." “The Yuan Wang 5 is a powerful tracking vessel whose significant aerial reach — reportedly around 750 km — means that several ports in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh could be on China’s radar,” the Indian Express newspaper wrote. The closely watched developments surrounding the vessel underscore the competing interests of regional giants India and China in the small island nation. For more than a decade, Sri Lanka’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean and along one of the busiest shipping routes has seen both countries vie for influence. Read: Sri Lanka holds its breath as new PM fights to save economy Over the years, Beijing was widely seen as having an upper hand with its free-flowing loans and infrastructure investments. But Sri Lanka’s economic collapse proved an opportunity for India to gain greater sway, as New Delhi stepped in with massive financial and material assistance to its neighbor. The ship has permission to dock in Hambantota until Aug. 22, Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry said last weekend. It added that China had agreed the ship would keep its identification systems on and would not carry out any research activities while in Sri Lankan waters. “Given the geopolitical dynamics in the region and Sri Lanka’s heavy vulnerability on the economic front, Sri Lanka is playing with two fires at a diplomatic level,” said international affairs analyst Ranga Kalansooriya. The Yuan Wang family of naval vessels serve both the Chinese missile force and its space program, which is run by the People’s Liberation Army, the military wing of the ruling Communist Party. Previous official Chinese media reports have described PLA officers serving in command positions aboard the vessels in the Yuan Wang class, which may also have civilians in their crews. China Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin dismissed concerns about the ship in a briefing Tuesday. “I would like to reiterate that the marine scientific research conducted by the research ship Yuan Wang 5 conforms to international law and international common practice, and will not affect the security and economic interests of any country,” he said. On Monday, India gifted a maritime reconnaissance aircraft to Sri Lanka to strengthen its maritime security. The Indian Embassy said the aircraft would help Sri Lanka tackle multiple security challenges such as human and drug trafficking as well as other crimes in its coastal waters more effectively. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said last week that India was aware of the planned visit by the vessel and that it carefully monitors any development that affects its security and economic interests and would take all measures to safeguard them. He also dismissed claims last week that India put pressure on Sri Lanka to delay the ship. As Sri Lanka endures its worst economic crisis, India in recent months has provided crucial assistance including food, fuel, medicines and cooking gas. At the same time, China’s agreement to restructure its infrastructure loans to Sri Lanka is vital for the country to reach a bailout program with the International Monetary Fund. China has lent Sri Lanka billions of dollars for development projects, some of which have been criticized as having little practical use. They include the Hambantota port, built with Chinese money under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his home region, despite the plan having been rejected by an expert panel. When the port failed to generate enough revenue to pay back the loan, Sri Lanka in 2017 was forced to hand the facility and thousands of acres of surrounding land to Beijing for 99 years — giving China a key foothold in the country directly opposite India’s coastline. Kalansooriya said while Sri Lanka is unable to discount both regional powers, President Ranil Wickremesinghe is tasked not only with salvaging the country’s economy but also maintaining a diplomatic balance.

Bangladesh observed World Hydrography Day 2022 on Tuesday. This year the theme of World Hydrography Day-2022 was Hydrography- Contributing to the United Nations Ocean Decade. On the occasion of the day, a seminar was organized at BNS ISSA KHAN Area Multipurpose Hall, Chattogram Naval Base under the management of Chief Hydrographer of Bangladesh Navy on Tuesday, says an Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR) Directorate media release.   Commander Chattogram Naval Area Rear Admiral M Nazmul Hassan was present as the chief guest.   High officials from various ministries, members of the National Hydrographic Committee, Hydrography and Maritime Organizations, Port Authorities, Universities, Maritime Research & Training Institutes and many Hydrographers were present at the seminar. READ: Seminar on ‘World Hydrography Day-2021’ held in Chattogram Sustainable ocean management, remote sensing in oceanography, Blue Economy and the importance of ocean literacy in achieving the UN Ocean Decade Goal were discussed in the seminar by Hydrographers and ocean science experts.   The speakers also emphasized the enhancement of cooperation and coordination between the stakeholders related to Hydrography for promoting the Blue Economy of Bangladesh. Chief Hydrographer Commodore A K M Sherafullah of Bangladesh Navy delivered the welcome speech, whereas the Director Hydrography Captain M Minarul Hoque presented the keynote paper. Bangladesh is the 70th member of International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). Understanding climate change, monitor the movement of pollutants and protect biodiversity, Data and metadata derived during the hydrographic survey are extremely useful for collaboration with ocean science. Bangladesh Navy acts as the focal point of all hydrographic matters in the sea area of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Navy Hydrographic Services have already developed its capability to produce international standard nautical charts strictly adhering to IHO standards. With high regard for professionalism, Bangladesh Navy has published all the required paper charts and Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) for its sea area. These charts are updated periodically, accepted by the national and international marine communities, and distributed worldwide to ensure safe navigation.

Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Police won their respective matches in the Walton Independence and National Day Volleyball Tournament 2022  at the Dhaka Volleyball Stadium on Tuesday.  Bangladesh Army outplayed Prison Directorate (Bangladesh Jail) by 25-16, 25-14 and 25-8 points, Bangladesh Navy defeated Power Development Board (PDB) by 25-17, 22-25, 27-25 and 25-20 points while Bangladesh Police beat Bangladesh Ansar by 25-20, 25-14 and 26-22 points. READ: Popular Winter Sports and Games in Bangladesh The day's last fixture between Bangladesh Air Force and Titas Club was in progress till filing this report. On Wednesday, Bangladesh Navy will play Prison Directorate at 9 am while Titas Club will encounter Bangladesh Ansar at 11 am at the same venue. READ: 45th National Athletics: Imranur, Sumaiya emerge as fastest man, woman