C T Online Desk: The Bangladesh Navy ship ‘BNS Somudra Avijan’ departed from Chattogram Port on Tuesday carrying relief supplies, emergency medical items, and other humanitarian aid for Myanmar, which was recently affected by a devastating earthquake.
Under the leadership of Captain Mohammad Arif Hossain, the ship embarked on its journey to Myanmar with approximately 120 metric tons of relief materials, said an ISPR press release.
Prior to the ship’s departure, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M. Nazmul Hassan inspected the activities undertaken for dispatching the relief and provided necessary instructions to the members of the armed forces on board.
The ship is expected to reach the Port of Yangon, Myanmar, on April 11, 2025. There, on behalf of Bangladesh, the relief materials will be officially handed over to a representative delegation from the Government of Myanmar.
This humanitarian mission is being carried out under the direction of the Principal Adviser, with the support and supervision of the Armed Forces Division.
The 120 metric tons of relief—provided with the assistance of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Armed Forces, Army Welfare Trust, and Red Crescent—includes 77 metric tons of dry food, over 9 tons of tents and usable clothing, 29 metric tons of pure drinking water, 4 metric tons of hygiene kits, and approximately 1 ton of essential medicines.
Meanwhile, following the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand on March 28, the government of Bangladesh has already dispatched 31.5 metric tons of relief materials in two phases via transport aircraft from the Army and Air Force, along with rescue and medical assistance teams.
This compassionate response from Bangladesh during Myanmar’s time of crisis is expected to further strengthen mutual trust and confidence between the two neighboring countries, and deepen their friendly relations.
Besides, the Bangladesh Armed Forces continue to work in Myanmar for the second consecutive week to assist those affected by the earthquake. The special rescue and medical assistance team sent to Naypyidaw on April 1 is still actively involved in ongoing rescue operations and medical services. This information was shared in a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday.
