Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday (June 21, 2023) commissioned five locally made state-of-the-art vessels of Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) that will further strengthen the maritime law enforcement force. The five vessels are two inshore patrol vessels named 'BCGS Apurba Bangla’ and 'BCGS Joy Bangla,' two tugboats named 'BCGT Pratyay' and 'BCGT Pramatta' and a floating crane named 'BCGFC Shakti.' Read: PM Hasina orders measures to contain inflation The premier commissioned the vessels at BCG Patenga Berth in Chattogram through a videoconferencing from her official residence Ganabhaban here in the capital. The two inshore patrol vessels were built by state-owned Dockyard and Engineering Works Limited in Narayanganj, while two tugboats and the floating crane were made by the Khulna Shipyard. The new vessels are equipped with ultramodern machinery, sensors and surveillance radar. The inshore patrol vessels have three automatic cannons, which will play a vital role in protecting ourselves and running operational activities. Read: PM Hasina for peaceful resolution of Ukraine crisis  The vessels have surveillance capacity of 96 nautical miles and the cannons' range is 4 kilometers and the ships are able to identify anything like other vessels, criminals or enemies within this range while the cannons will help the BCG conduct operational activities smoothly. With the commission of the vessels, the operational activities of the BCG is expected to accelerate along with increase in the capacity to prevent stealing at commercial ships at the outer anchor, control human and drug trafficking through sea, patrol along the blue economy borders and conduct rescue operations in case of natural calamity and maritime accidents. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Senior Secretary of Public Security Division Mustafizur Rahman spoke at the commissioning ceremony, while Director General of Bangladesh Coast Guard Rear Admiral Ashraful Hoq Chowdhury delivered the welcome speech. Read: PM to brief media on the outcome of her Switzerland visit on Wednesday 

Launch owners have decreased the number of vessels plying the Dhaka-Barishal route due to shortage of passengers and price hike of fuel. Three launches ply the Dhaka-Barishal-Dhaka route each day, the MV Manami’s Director Ahmed Jaki Anupam said after a meeting of launch owners of the Bangladesh Inland Waterways Association in the capital on Tuesday. A total of 18 launches have been categorized into six groups to operate on the route per day, he said. Director Anupam informed that the Barishal-bound launch from Dhaka will reach around 5am after departing around 8pm. On the other hand the Dhaka-bound launch from Barishal will also leave at 6am and arrive around 8pm on the same day.   Read: Upto 30 launch services from Sadarghat forced to fold post-Padma Bridge He further said decision to stop overtaking among launches was taken at the meeting. All the decisions taken at the meeting will be implemented within four to five days. Mahbub Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram presided over the meeting where its Vice President Bodiuzzaman Badal, Managing Committee’s Convenor of Dhaka Rivers Ports Water Traffic Plying Mamun-Or-Rashid and launch owners were present.  

The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla and Payra in Bangladesh have been advised to hoist the local cautionary signal three to alert vessels of a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal. A depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining area has moved west-northwestward and intensified into a deep depression, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said Friday. At 12pm, the depression was centred over northwest Bay and adjoining Bangladesh and India's West Bengal. It is likely to intensify further and move more northwestward. "Sea will remain rough near the centre of the deep depression. Under its influence, deep convection is taking place over the north Bay and adjoining coastal areas" the weather department said. Read: Heatwave may abate in next 24 hours Deep convection refers to the thermally driven turbulent mixing that moves air parcels from the lower to the upper atmosphere. All fishing boats and trawlers in the northern Bay of Bengal and deep sea have been advised to take shelter immediately. The low-lying areas of Satkhira, Khulna Bagerhat, Jhalokathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni Chattogram, Cox's Bazar and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by rising tides, BMD said.  

Two vessels-JS URAGA (Mine Sweeper Tender) and JS HIRADO (Mine Sweeper Ocean)- of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) are now in Chattogram.  The two vessels arrived at Chattogram Port on Saturday for a goodwill port visit and will stay in Chattogram till Monday.  Japan hoped that this port visit will not only strengthen bilateral relations between Japan and Bangladesh but also contribute to realize a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”, which is a vision to secure peace, stability and prosperity in the region. Captain NOGUCHI Yasushi, Commanding Officer of the Deployment, and his officers were received by Captain Masudul Karim Siddique, Chief Staff Officer to Commander, Chattogram Naval Area and greeted by Ito Naoki, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh.

The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist distant cautionary signal one to alert vessels of a depression over the Bay of Bengal. The weather office's advisory for cautionary signal number one implies a low pressure area is forming far at sea and surface wind could be upto 60 kmph. In fact, the depression over the east-central Bay and the adjoining north-east Bay has moved slightly westwards and intensified into a deep depression over the same area, according to a Met office bulletin.  The depression was centred at 9am Saturday about 480 kms south-southwest of Chattogram port, 415 kms south-southwest of Cox's Bazar port, 450 kms south of Mongla port and 405 kms south of Payra port, as per the bulletin. READ:  Deep depression weakened into depression, Maritime ports asked to lower signal It is likely to intensify further and move in a west/northwesterly direction, the Met office said. Maximum sustained wind speed within 48 kms of the deep depression centre is about 50 kmph rising to 60 kmph. The sea will remain rough near the deep depression centre. All fishing boats and trawlers have been advised to come closer to the coast and proceed with caution. They are advised not to venture into the deep sea. READ:  Maritime ports asked to hoist cyclone warning signal 3

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has revoked its previous order that hiked passenger fare by 60 per with effect from April 1 after passenger vessels were required to operate with half the capacity due to Covid restrictions. The BIWTA issued a circular in this regard on Tuesday, said Jahangir Alam Khan, senior information officer. According to the order, the passenger vessels will follow from Wednesday (August 11, 2021) the previous fare chart issued on April 23, 2013. READ: Cyclone Yaas: BIWTA suspends river transports as a precaution The government has decided to ease the lockdown from Wednesday allowing public transport, shops and shopping malls to reopen. As the Delta variant has sharply been fuelling case surges, Bangladesh saw a record high 264 deaths again as health authorities came up with their 24-hour report on Tuesday. READ: Water transport workers to stage demo in front of BIWTA Sunday  Besides, 11,164 more people tested positive during the period out of 47,424 samples, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

River vessels will be allowed to operate from Saturday evening to Sunday 12 pm to carry factory workers, said the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) on Saturday. To carry the workers of RMG and export-oriented factories, the government has allowed the vessel movement, said a media release issued by the BIWTA in the evening. The BIWTA requested vessel owners, masters, drivers, staff and passengers to follow health guidelines during the period. Read: No decision yet on lockdown extension: Farhad Although public transport movement remained suspended, thousands of people started returning to Dhaka on the 9th day of the lockdown on Saturday following the government’s announcement that mills and factories will reopen on Sunday (Aug 1). Shimulia ferry terminal in Munshiganj saw a huge crowd as people from south western districts who were coming back to the capital to join their work. The vessel movement was suspended from July 23, 6 am as the government reimposed a countrywide ‘stricter’ lockdown till August 5, midnight as per a Cabinet Division’s order. Read: Covid kills 218 more in Bangladesh as its catastrophe continues Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, the BIWTA, however, allowed vessels to carry passengers at half of their capacities on condition of maintaining health guidelines from July 14 midnight to 6am on July 23. A record rise in the number of Covid cases and fatalities in recent days prompted the government to enforce a nationwide stringent lockdown suspending all outdoor activities unless there is any emergency.

Vessels will carry passengers half of their capacities and maintain health guidelines to curb the transmission of Covid-19. State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury disclosed this on Wednesday after a meeting at the Ministry of Shipping. The fares of river transports will be increased from Thursday and the new rates of fares will be fixed after a meeting with river transport owners today, he said. The state minister said passengers have to get on the launch in compliance with the health rules and legal action will be taken if the health rules are not followed. Also read: Launch, steamer services to resume Sunday on 34 river routes He also added that number of vessels will also be increased alongside fare hike. The state minister warned that punitive action will be taken against launches owners if they charge more than the amount which would be fixed by the ministry or carry additional passengers. The carrying of all types of covered vans and trucks in ferries except those carrying essential goods will remain stopped for three days before Eid and the restriction will continue till three days after Eid, said the state minister. Also read: Govt increases bus fares by 60 pc Roads from Sadarghat to Bahadur Shah Park should be kept free from traffic jams and Sadarghat terminals and launches should be kept hawker-free, said the state minister.  Passengers traveling on the waterways can contact BIWTA hotline number: 18113 for any emergency and service related matters.