UK committed to deepen defence and naval co-op with BD further: UK Envoy

British High Commissioner Robert Chatterton Dickson said the UK is committed to further deepening defence and naval cooperation with Bangladesh.

He said this while talking to journalists at a press briefing at Chattogram Port Area on Monday evening, marking the arrival of British Royal Navy’s offshore patrol vessel ‘HMS TAMAR’ to Chattogram.

High Commissioner Robert informed that HMS TAMAR is visiting Bangladesh as the second Royal Navy ship to Chattogram in the 18 months.

“I am very grateful to the Bangladesh Navy for their warm welcome,” he said.

This visit is another example of the UK’s long history of defence cooperation with Bangladesh, especially in the maritime domain, he added.

After meeting the senior officials of Bangladesh Navy, the visiting ship’s Commanding Officer Teilo Elliot-Smith said Bangladesh and Royal Navy share common security priorities.

He said he found the objectives of the both forces as similar.

Regarding blue economy of the country, he said Royal Navy has always supported Bangladesh in making the best use of the maritime resources that Bangladesh own.

However, he observed that the welcome they received from Bangladesh Navy was his best experience in career.

Mentionable, the Royal Navy’s offshore Patrol Vessel ‘HMS TAMAR’ arrived at the naval base in Chattogram on January 15.

The vessel was received by the Chattogram Naval Area Commander’s Chief Staff Officer Captain M Faizul Hoque.

During the visit, ‘HMS TAMAR’ and her crew will engage in a series of events with the Bangladesh Navy and the local administration in Chattogram to maximise bilateral relations benefitting both the countries’ military, trade, development and political alliances.

The deployment of ‘HMS TAMAR’ emphasises the UK’s commitment to defence cooperation with Bangladesh to an open and resilient international order for open societies and economies to flourish.