Bangladesh Coast Guard

Bangladesh Coast Guard
বাংলাদেশ কোষ্ট গার্ড
Bangladesh Coast Guard Crest
Active 1995 – present
Country  Bangladesh
Branch Coast Guard
Type Coast Guard
Size 1,282 personnel, 57 Ships[1]
Coast Guard Headquarters Dhaka, Bangladesh
Nickname BCG
Motto "Guardian at Sea"
Anniversaries 12 December
Commanders
DG Bangladesh Coast Guard Rear Admiral M Makbul Hossain (TAS), ndu, psc
Insignia
Bangladesh Coast Guard Ensign

Bangladesh Coast Guard (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ কোষ্ট গার্ড) is the maritime border patrol agency of Bangladesh. It is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs but its officers are transferred from the Bangladesh Navy. The headquarters is in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

History

Bangladesh Navy has been performing the duties of Coast Guard in addition to own duties of maritime defence since the independence of Bangladesh. As the time passed by, with the up growing responsibility and workload it became inconvenient for Bangladesh Navy to cope with the increasing volume of policing duties at sea along with focusing her primary role. Thus Emergence of the Bangladesh Coast Guard as a new service was the result of an awareness that had been growing for some time in the Government for the requirement to enforce National Laws in the waters under national jurisdiction and ensure safety of life and property at sea. Following this The Coast Guard Act 1994 was passed by the parliament in September 1994. Formally Bangladesh Coast Guard in its present shape came into being on 14 February 1995 and started her operational activities with two patrol craft received from Bangladesh Navy under Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard Motto is ‘GUARDIAN AT SEA’

Today’s Bangladesh Coast Guard is a unique force that carries out an array of civil and military responsibilities touching almost every facet of the Bangladesh maritime environment. The force now has a zone, three bases, 18 stations, 10 outpost, 57 different categories of water vessels and eight pontoons along with 1,282 manpower.[2]

Role & Mission

Over 90% of Bangladesh exports and imports pass through two sea ports at Chittagong and Mongla. Sea-lines communication to these two sea ports are the life lines of our economy. UNCLOS 1982 has made provision for sovereign rights for exploration and exploitation of living and non living resources in the EEZ. Fishery sector Contributes an important part of national export earning. Besides, significant quantity of gas has been discovered at Sangu in the Bay of Bengal, extraction of which has already started. Apart from these, a vast number of ships and craft of various types and sizes operate at sea for trade, commerce, fishing, research, exploration and extraction of oil, gas and minerals and so on. To exercise effective control, to ensure safety and security and protect national and international maritime interest at sea, all these diverse activities are brought under various National and International laws and acts.

Mission of Bangladesh Coast Guard

Control piracy, illegal trafficking, protect fishery, oil, gas, forest resources and environmental pollution in Bangladesh waters and coastal areas, ensure overall security and law and order through security assistance to sea ports, conduct relief and rescue operation in the coastal areas during natural calamity

Role of Bangladesh Coast Guard

Primary Role

Secondary Role

Area of Jurisdiction

Area of jurisdiction of Bangladesh Coast Guard are the sea territory of Bangladesh as declared under the Territorial and Maritime Zone Act,1974. Bangladesh Government being a signatory has ratified UNCLOS, 1982.

Areas of Jurisdiction in the Bay of Bengal are:

Apart from the sea territory of Bangladesh, The government has also placed the waterways of mangrove forest of Sundarban and major rivers up to Dhaka under jurisdiction of Coast Guard.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard has the following zonal command: East, West, South and the Dhaka sub zone.

Director General

Rear Admiral M Makbul Hossain (TAS), ndu, psc BN is the present Director General of Bangladesh Coast Guard.

List of Director General (DG) of Bangladesh Coast Guard

Equipment

Fast Attack Craft (Gun)

NamePennant NumberClassType
CGS TawfiqueP 611Shanghai II062 II
CGS TawheedP 612Shanghai II062 II
CGS TamjeedP 613Shanghai II062 II
CGS TanveerP 614Shanghai II062 II

Coastal Patrol Craft

NamePennant NumberClassType
CGS Shet GangP 101Porte GrandeCoastal Patrol Craft
CGS Porte GrandeP 102Porte GrandeCoastal Patrol Craft
N/AP 103Porte GrandeCoastal Patrol Craft
N/AP 104Porte GrandeCoastal Patrol Craft
CGS Ruposhi BanglaP 201Ruposhi BanglaCoastal Patrol Craft

Riverine Patrol Craft

NamePennant NumberClassType
CGS PabnaP 111PabnaRiverine Patrol Craft
CGS NoakhaliP 112PabnaRiverine Patrol Craft
CGS PatuakhaliP 113PabnaRiverine Patrol Craft
CGS RangamatiP 114PabnaRiverine Patrol Craft
CGS BograP 115PabnaRiverine Patrol Craft
CGS AtraiP ???PabnaRiverine Patrol Craft

High speed boats

Future Modernization Plan

Bangladesh government has started a massive modernization plan named Coast Guard Goal 2030 to enhance the capabilities of Bangladesh Coast Guard. A training base for coast guard named CG Base Agrajatra has been set up at Patuakhali.[3] Bangladesh coast guard received six Aluminum Workboats from Croatia in 2014. These boats are 10.8 meters long, with 2 motors Volvo Penta D6-370 and Hamilton Jets HJ274. Recently two Harbor Patrol Boats has been added to coast guard fleet which were built at DEW Narayanganj.[4] Bangladesh also ordered X12 High Speed boats from PT Lundin Industry of Indonesia. These ship are made of carbon composite that has a length of 11.7 meters and a speed of 35 knots. Among the boats 6 will be built in Indonesia and rest in Bangladesh. Construction of eight pontoons are also going on at different shipyards.

Recently government approved the buying of four Minerva-class ships from Italy for coast guard. The ships will be transformed into OPV before arriving Bangladesh.[5] Purchase of four more OPVs and two large vessels are on process. These ships will provide the capacity of patrolling into deep see to coast guard.

Bangladesh Coast Guard is in the process of introducing its aviation wing. Process of buying two maritime search and rescue (SAR) helicopter is going on.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.albd.org/index.php/en/updates/news/2024-govt-committed-to-giving-blue-economy-concept-into-reality-pm
  2. ↑ https://www.albd.org/index.php/en/updates/news/2024-govt-committed-to-giving-blue-economy-concept-into-reality-pm
  3. ↑ http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2014/12/11/pm-inaugurates-coast-guard-training-centre-in-patuakhali
  4. ↑ http://www.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=478292&date=2015-03-15
  5. ↑ http://www.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=475522&date=2015-03-04

External links