C T Online Desk: Two vessels, JS URAGA (Mine Sweeper Tender) and JS HIRADO (Mine Sweeper Ocean) of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), arrived at Chattogram Port on Saturday (Jan 8) for a goodwill port visit.
They will stay in Chattogram till Monday (Jan 10), said the Embassy of Japan.
Receiving Ceremony was held on on Saturday at the port jetty. 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.
Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh Ito Naoki also greeted and greeted the Japanese vessels and the delegates.
During this port visit, the Bangladesh Navy will organise exchange programmes such as visits on board.
Ambassador Ito and Captain Noguchi will make courtesy calls on Rear Admiral Mohammad Mozammel Haque, Commander, Chattogram Naval Area, Commodore Mir Ershad Ali, Commander, Bangladesh Navy Fleet, and Rear Admiral M Shahjahan, Chariman, Chattogram Port Authority respectively on Sunday.
The Japanese delegates will also make a courtesy call on Md. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation.
Moreover, JS HIRADO and JS URAGA will conduct a goodwill exercise with the Bangladesh Navy in the surrounding sea on the concluding day of the visit on Monday (Jan 10).
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has made port visits to Chattogram two times before, in 2012 and in 2019. This third visit has taken place in a very memorable year, which marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Japan and Bangladesh.
This port visit is particularly significant, as it is the event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the two countries. JS URAGA and JS HIRADO departed from Japan on December 12, 2021 for IMED21: Indo-Pacific and Middle East Deployment21 and has made a visit to Bangladesh after Brunei.
They will also visit Sri Lanka, Bahrain, and Malaysia, returning to Japan on March 31, 2022.
It is expected 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, reads the embassy release.
