United News of Bangladesh

Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar entered Chattogram harbour on Friday following a 'successful transit' through the Bay of Bengal. This high-profile port call, part of the IOS SAGAR 2026 multinational deployment, is a testament to the steadfast partnership between the Indian Navy and the Bangladesh Navy, highlighting the strong bonds between the two neighbouring countries, said the government of India on Friday. The ship was welcomed into Bangladesh waters by BNS Ali Haider (F17) and was escorted to harbour. Upon arrival, the Commanding Officer (CO) of IOS Sagar will undertake a series of high-level diplomatic engagements, including calls on the Commander Chattogram Naval Area (COMCHIT), the Commander Bangladesh Naval Fleet (COMBAN), the Area Superintendant Dockyard (ASD). These interactions aim to consolidate the maritime exchanges between the two navies. The port visit of IOS Sagar features a robust itinerary of professional, social, and commemorative events which includes the following:- Welcome Reception COMCHIT will host a welcome reception on arrival evening for IOS SAGAR in company of the top brass from the Bangladesh Armed Forces. A deck reception will be hosted by IOS SAGAR the following evening to celebrate culmination of a successful port call at Chattogram. Commemoration and Honour Commanding officer IOS SAGAR would pay homage to the shared sacrifices in our collective history through a solemn wreath-laying ceremony scheduled at the Chattogram Commonwealth War Cemetery under the arrangement of COMCHIT. Operational Exchange Commanding Officer IOS SAGAR, will call on the Chairman of the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) to discuss maritime logistics and port security. This will be followed by mutual ship visits, where personnel of Bangladesh Navy and international crew of IOS SAGAR will engage in professional cross deck visits. Training and Capacity Building The crew will visit the BNS ISSA KHAN Training Complex and the Bangladesh Naval Academy, fostering a deeper understanding of naval training methodologies and opportunities for mutual capacity building. Camaraderie and Sports Diplomacy A friendly football match between both the navies will highlight the esprit de corps shared between the two services. IOS Sagar’s presence in Chattogram is a practical manifestation of India’s Neighbourhood First policy and the MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) initiative, demonstrating a shared commitment to a secure and stable Indian Ocean Region.

An Indian Navy offshore patrol vessel, INS Savitri - arrived here on Thursday delivering two mobile oxygen plants (MOP), each with a capacity of generating 960 litres of oxygen per minute. While in Bangladesh, the ship’s company would be interacting with their Bangladesh counterparts; on its journey out, Indian Navy and Bangladesh Navy ships will be engaging in passage exercise in the Bay of Bengal on Friday. This visit by INS Savitri is also the second port call by Indian Navy vessels to Bangladesh in 2021, when India and Bangladesh are jointly commemorating the Golden Jubilee of the 1971 Liberation War. Read: Another Oxygen Express on its way to Bangladesh from India Earlier in March 2021, two Indian Navy ships had made a historic maiden visit to Mongla to jointly celebrate Mujib Borsho. These MOPs were developed and manufactured by DRDO in India, and given to the government of Bangladesh to support to the natural effort to fight the Covid pandemic. One MOP is to be set up at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital and the other plant is for the Bangladesh Navy, to be set up at BNS Patenga, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. These fully equipped, state-of-the-art MOPs generate medical oxygen on-site in a highly cost-effective manner. In addition to direct installation at hospitals, they can also be used for refilling oxygen cylinders as well. The MOPs generate medical breathing standard oxygen using Zeolite (Molecular Sieve) technology with Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) principle for medical applications. Read: Cabinet body approves proposal for 30 oxygen plants INS Savitri is an offshore patrol vessel designed to patrol India’s vast Exclusive Economic Zone and has been built by the Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Vishakhapatnam. As part of the Eastern Fleet of India, INS Savitri, undertakes fleet support operations, coastal and offshore patrolling, ocean surveillance and monitoring of the sea lanes of communication. The ship is commanded by Cdr N Roby Singh. Regular port calls by Bangladesh Navy and Indian Navy ships to each other’s countries is an ongoing activity and helps strengthen the spirit of fraternal friendship and close cooperation.