United News of Bangladesh

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday said the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) must remain a strong and profitable institution, stressing the need to expand its fleet and further strengthen its financial capacity. “BSC should maintain the profitable status it has achieved in recent years. Future plans should focus on strengthening the institution through its own income and expanding the fleet by adding new ships,” he said while speaking at a cheque handover ceremony at the State Guest House Jamuna. Prof Yunus said the addition of more ships to the BSC fleet would boost morale among sailors and create new employment opportunities. He also emphasised retaining instructors at marine academies with appropriate honorariums to ensure the production of world-class seafarers. Plans are underway to acquire several ships, including four new large vessels (mother vessels) from China on a government-to-government (G2G) basis, according to the Chief Adviser’s press wing. Big move! BSC to procure 22 new mother vessels The BSC earned the highest-ever profit of Tk 306.56 crore in the last fiscal year, generating around Tk 800 crore in revenue—an unprecedented achievement in its 54-year history. The Press Wing said that the five ships added to the fleet under the recent project have played a significant role in BSC’s continued progress. Following the Chief Adviser’s directives, BSC has already taken steps to acquire additional vessels. The first ship, Banglar Pragati, acquired under the corporation’s self-financed two bulk carrier project, was delivered and deployed in trade on October 28, 2025 and the second ship, Banglar Navajatra, is scheduled for delivery on January 30, 2026. Meanwhile, the process of acquiring two MR product oil tankers with government funding and one Ultramax bulk carrier with private funding is ongoing. At the ceremony, the Chief Adviser received a cheque amounting to Tk 203.47 crore, representing dividends declared for the fiscal year 2024–2025 and installments payable under the Subsidiary Loan Agreement (SLA) for repayment of loans taken for six ship-purchase projects implemented by BSC under the Ministry of Shipping. Shipping Adviser M Sakhawat Hossain and BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek handed over the cheque. Commodore Mahmudul Malek said that a Loan Agreement (LA) was signed on October 14, 2016, between the Government of Bangladesh (Economic Relations Division) and the Government of China (China Exim Bank) for the project titled “Purchase of Six New Ships”. The project included the acquisition of three product oil tankers of approximately 39,000 DWT each and three bulk carriers on a G2G basis for BSC. The principal loan amount was 1,199,999,070 yuan, equivalent to Tk 1,457.68 crore. Subsequently, a Subsidiary Loan Agreement (SLA) was signed between the Finance Division and BSC on October 27, 2024, to facilitate loan repayment. Under this agreement, BSC will pay a total of Tk 2,425.02 crore to the Government of Bangladesh over a period of 13 years. Self-financed ship procurement deal a major step for BSC: Adviser Sakhawat As per the SLA, the total interest amount accrued during the grace period stood at Tk 475.25 crore, for which a cheque was officially handed over to the Chief Adviser on November 26, 2024. After a gap of 27 years without any new ship procurement, six commercial vessels were added to the BSC fleet during the 2018–19 period. Of these, five vessels—M.V. Banglar Joyjatra, M.V. Banglar Arjan, M.T. Banglar Agrajatra, M.T. Banglar Agradut, and M.T. Banglar Agragati—are currently engaged in international commercial cargo operations and proudly flying the national flag of Bangladesh.  

Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) has arranged a compensation amount of $500,000 (USD) for the family of naval engineer Hadisur Rahman, who was killed in a rocket attack at the port of Olvia in Ukraine, while serving on the Banglar Samriddhi - a BSC vessel that was docked at the port.   BSC also announced  a payment equivalent to seven months' salary for other members of the Banglar Samriddhi, that was damaged in the attack. Hadisur’s brother has been offered a job at BSC and will join on June 1. The announcements were made at a meeting of the Board of Directors of BSC in the city on Wednesday. The meeting was presided over by State Minister for Shipping and Chairman of the BSC board of directors Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury. On March 3, Hadisur, 47-year-old third engineer of Bangladeshi vessel ‘Banglar Samriddhi’, was killed in a rocket attack on the ship stranded at Ukrainian port Olvia. The BSC ship was positioned in the inner anchorage of Olvia port (Ukraine), when Hadisur was killed due to a missile attack. Earlier on March 9, 28 surviving crew members of the Bangladeshi ship who were stranded in war-torn Ukraine, arrived back in Dhaka. They went from Ukraine to Moldova to reach Bucharest in Romania, from where they flew to Dhaka. The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation ship had been stranded at Olvia port in Ukraine since February 23, following Russia's invasion of its eastern European neighbour. Hadisur’s body was preserved in a bunker near Ukraine as the procedure to bring it back was delayed due to the worsening situation in Ukraine. Later, on March 14, his body did reach Dhaka. Also read: Hadisur buried in Barguna

Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) has claimed insurance money of USD 22.48  million for their ship, “Banglar Samriddhi” which was damaged in a rocket attack at Olvia port in war-ravaged Ukraine. The organization recently sent a later to state owned insurer Sadharan Bima Corporation (SBC) seeking USD 22.48 million equivalent to TK 193.32 crore. “According to a deal with BSC, Sadharan Bima Corporation and London-based Beazley Insurance will pay the claimed money. We have claimed the money following the rules of insurance,” said Commodore Sumon Mahmud Sabbir,  managing Director of BSC. On March 3, the BSC ship stranded at Olvia port in Ukraine since February 23 came under attack leaving its third engineer Hadisur Rahman dead. Later the Bangladesh government announced the ship abandoned and managed to safely rescue other crew members. Also read: Ukraine conflict: Bangladeshi killed in rocket attack on ship The ship remained anchored in the Ukrainian port however. As no international classification  society surveyor will be able to assess the amount of the damages in that ship until the Russia-Ukraine war ends it will take time to get the insurance money, said BSC officials. In 2018, the ship was included in BSC fleet. According to BSC, its making cost was USD 25.30 million equivalent to Tk 215 crore. Also read: Crew of 'Banglar Samriddhi' returns home The Ministry of Shipping formed a seven-member probe committee led by a joint secretary to investigate the reason of the attack on the ship.

The 28 surviving crew members of the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation vessel 'Banglar Samriddhi'- are scheduled to arrive back home in Dhaka, from Bucharest, Romania on Wednesday noon.A Turkish Airlines flight carrying the gang of sailors is scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 12:15pm.They arrived in Romania on March 6 from Ukraine through Moldova, said Bangladesh Ambassador to Romania Daud Ali. Read: Fmr minister Mosharraf’s brother arrested in Tk 2,000cr money laundering case "We extended all cooperation including smooth immigation both in Moldova and Romania, transport from Moldova to Bucharest (in Romania), hotel accommodation, food, etc," he said after completion of their boarding and immigration at the airport Tuesday night. "During their short stay in Bucharest we arranged a dinner at our residence and on Tuesday lunch at our embassy," Ambassador Daud also said.The crew were stranded in war-ravaged Ukraine before crossing the border. “Hopefully, they will reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Wednesday,” said Captain Md Mujibur Rahman, Deputy General Manager (planning) of Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC).“The body of the ship’s third engineer Hadisur Rahman, who was killed during a rocket attack on the ship, has been preserved in a bunker near Ukraine and it will be brought back at a convenient time,” said the BSC Deputy GM.Meanwhile, general secretary of Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers' Association (BMMOA) Md Shakwat Hossain said, “As situation in Ukraine is worsening the procedure to bring back Hadisur’s body is being delayed. The procedure to bring back his body home will begin within five to seven days depending on the situation there.” Read: Saluting women's power on Women's Day The BSC ship got stranded in Ukraine as Russian invasion started soon after it anchored at Olvia port on February 23.The ship had been declared abandoned after it came under rocket attack that killed one of its crew members.