Indian Naval Ships INS Rana and INS Sumedha undertook a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with French Navy ship FS Surcouf in the Bay of Bengal on Friday. INS Rana is a guided missile destroyer and INS Sumedha is an indigenously built offshore patrol vessel that took part in the exercise. The French Navy's La Fayette class frigate Surcouf visited Visakhapatnam from June 26-29 and participated in a variety of activities with Indian Navy ships, which included professional and social interactions, sports fixtures and cross-deck visits, the Ministry of Defence said in an official release. Before leaving Visakhapatnam, the Indian naval vessels -- Rana and Sumedha -- participated in a number of exercises with the FS Surcouf, which included tactical manoeuvres, replenishment at sea (RAS) approaches, air defence against fighter aircraft and cross-deck helicopter operations. A customary farewell steam past between the ships reaffirmed the close friendship between the two fleets, marking the end of the MPX. The visit of FS Surcouf to India signifies the strong navy-to-navy links, interoperability and strong bonds between Indian Navy and French Navy, the press release by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) read. Earlier this year, FS La Fayette, a frigate and FS Dixmude, a Mistral-class amphibious assault class ship had participated in an MPX with INS Sahyadri, a guided missile frigate from March 10 to 11.

Saifullah Paracha, the "last" Pakistani national who was held at Guantanamo Bay for almost 20 years, returned to his home country on Saturday after his release from the infamous US detention camp in Cuba, media reports said. Saifullah, now 74, was taken into custody from Bangkok in 2003 on suspicion of ties with Al Qaeda. Pakistan's Samaa News earlier described Paracha as the "last Pakistani" in Guantanamo. Pakistan Foreign Ministry said Saifullah was released from the high-security prison after an extensive inter-agency process to facilitate repatriation. "Mr Saif Ullah Paracha, a Pakistani national, who was detained in Guantanamo Bay, has been released and reached Pakistan on Saturday, 29 October, 2022. The Foreign Ministry completed an extensive inter-agency process to facilitate repatriation of Mr Paracha. We are glad that a Pakistani citizen detained abroad is finally reunited with his family," the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Guantanamo Bay detention camp is a United States military prison located within Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, also referred to as Guantanamo, GTMO. The prison, which was opened by President George W. Bush to hold terrorism suspects captured overseas after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks came to symbolize harsh detention practices that opened the United States to accusations of torture. The prison with high walls and barbed wires was opened in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the US by then president, George W Bush, to jail terrorism suspects captured overseas. Soon, Guantanamo became notorious with harsh practices, opening the United States to criticism of torture. However, over the few years, the inmate population came down. Last month, Pakistan interior ministry officials told the Senate's Standing Committee on Human Rights that Saifullah Paracha will soon be released. His son Mustafa appeared before the standing committee meeting that was discussing the issue of Pakistani citizens who are detained in the US military prison. His son told the Pak committee that his family is Pakistani by birth, Samaa News reported. Mustafa said his father and his brother were arrested in 2003 from Thailand and New York, respectively. They were awarded 30 years imprisonment, the report added. This decision comes on the heel of Pakistan's exit from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) 'grey list'. Though Islamabad managed to exit the list, the global watchdog stated that Pakistan would continue to work with the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering to further improve its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing system.  Source: ANI

Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) Chairman Rear Admiral M Shahjahan said the capacity of the port would be increased 3 to 4 times after completing the construction of Bay Terminal and Matarbari Port Development Project. Besides, the authority has taken short-, medium- and long-term strategy to cope with increasing growth of cargo, containers and vessel handling of the port in line with user friendly one. The CPA chairman said this while exchanging views with journalists in observance of 135 Chattogram Port Day at Shahid Munshi auditorium hall on Sunday. The Port Chairman informed that Cox's Bazar district administration had handed over 283.27 acres of land under the Matarbari Port Development Project to the port authorities on March 30. “Tenders will be called for the construction of the port. The Matarbari terminal will be able to accommodate ships with a depth of more than 18 meters,” he added. The CPA Chairman said as part of directives of present government, an initiative has been taken to make the Newmooring container terminal fully operational after procurements of handling equipment. He informed that the district administration handed over the documents of 67 acres of privately owned land under the Bay Terminal project to the port. “The Ministry of Land has been requested through the Ministry of Shipping to allocate another 803 acres of land in favor of the port at a symbolic price.  The port authorities are working to build 1,500 meters long multipurpose terminal by 2025”, he added. He said the construction work of Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) for handling 4.5 lakh TEU's containers a year is 90 percent complete. The project is being implemented at a cost of Tk 1,229.56 crore.     “The container capacity has been increased to 55,000 by constructing 560,000 square meters yard in a decade to increase the capacity of the port.  A total of 390 different types of cargo and container handling equipments including ship to shore key gantry crane, mobile harbor crane, rubber tiered gantry crane has been collected,” he added. A total of 32 lakh 14 thousand TEUs containers were handled in Chattogram port in 2021 with growth of 13.19 percent.   The main programme of the day included hoisting of the national and CPA flags at the Port Bhaban at 9 am and according reception to the retired employees of the port at 4 pm. The daylong programme included discussions, view-exchange and colourful cultural function. Port member (Harbor and Marine) Commodore Mostafizur Rahman, Member (Finance) Kamrul Amin, Member (Engineering) Capt. Mahbubur Ragman, Heads of all Departments and CBA leaders, among others, attended the view exchange meeting Source: BSS AH

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) today (Dec2) predicted that the low pressure area, which currently lies over southeast Bay of Bengal & adjoining Andaman Sea after turning into a well-marked low over central parts of Andaman Sea and adjoining area, can intensify further.   "The low pressure which already turned into a well-marked low is likely to move in a west-northwesterly direction and intensify further," it said.    One of its associated trough extends up to North Bay. Ridge of sub-continental high extends up to Bihar and adjoining area.    The met office also said weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country.    Light fog is likely to occur at some places over the country during tomorrow morning.    Night temperature may rise slightly and day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.   Country's maximum temperature on Wednesday was recorded 33.7 degrees Celsius at Cox's Bazar and lowest one today was 11.8 degrees Celsius at Tetulia.   Today's sunset at 5.11 PM and tomorrow's sunrise at 6.26 AM at Dhaka. Source: BSS AH

Bangladesh lodged an amended submission on the limits of its outer continental shelf in the Bay of Bengal to the United Nations on Thursday. The Submission has formally been handed over by the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN, Ambassador Rabab Fatima to Dmitry Gonchar, the Acting Director of Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (DOALOS). While handing over the Executive Summary of the Submission, Fatima expressed expectations that the amended submission would be included in the agenda of the Commission in its next session, said the Bangladesh Mission on Friday. She also highlighted that the determination of the outer continental shelf would enable Bangladesh to explore and utilise natural resources of the seabed and subsoil in those areas.  The original submission to the CLCS was made on February 25, 2011. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the maritime boundaries of Bangladesh with Myanmar and India were delimited in 2012 and 2014, through the international adjudication process. The amended submission has been made to reflect the successful outcomes of those international processes. As per rule, a sub-commission will subsequently be formed which will examine the information provided by Bangladesh and upon satisfaction, make necessary recommendations on the limits of Bangladesh’s outer continental shelf in the Bay. The amended submission has been prepared by an expert team led by the Maritime Affairs Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with support from local and international experts. Source: UNB AH

A fertilizer-laden lighter ship got stuck on a hidden shoal in Meher Alir Char area of the Bay of Bengal early Friday and Coast Guard rescued its 14 sailors and crew. Coast Guard Mongla West Zone’s operation officer Lt Inteaz Alam said lighter ship MV New Parvin-2 was going to Nawapara in Jashore loading 950 mts fertilizers from a mother vessel in the Bay of Bengal. It was stuck on a hidden shoal around 4am, he added. On information Coast Guard members went to the spot and rescued 14 sailors and crew at 5:15pm and took them to Dublar Char Coast Guard’s station. Source: UNB AH

Two goods laden lighter vessels sank at Swandwip channel in Bay of Bengal and near Bhasanchar of Noakhali. The two vessels named Khajababa Faridpuri and N Islam sank following accident on Thursday. Deputy Director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Mohammad Selim told Rtv online that Khajababa Faridpuri sank while crossing the Swandwip channel. There were 13 sailors on board and 12 of them were rescued. One sailor is still missing. The lighter vessel was on its way to Narayanganj from Chattogram port with 1700 metric tons of wheat. He also said, vessels are instructed to cross Bhashan Char during high tide, spending at least three hours for safe navigation. But there was low tide when Khajababa Faridpuri was crossing the area, which caused it to sink. Meanwhile BIWTA source said, N Islam sank near Bhasanchar after colliding with another vessel. When the vessel was sinking after creating cracks at the bottom the Captain managed to take it near the river island. All the sailors on board are safe. AH

Another trawler capsized at Chalna area in the Bay of Bengal on Saturday affected with gusty wind as the sea was billowy followed by depression. The trawler named FB Orko was carrying 19 fishermen and all are missing. The fishermen were hailing from different villages under Baliatali union of Barguna sadar upazila. Of the missing some were identified as- Dulal Majhi (55), Mintu (35), Ayub Ali (40), Siddik (30), Nasir (32), Rubel (25), Solaiman (40), Rahat (20), Monir (25), Shafik (30), Hakim (32), Kashem (38) and Motaleb (40). Owner of the trawler Ashutosh Sarkar told Rtv online, the trawler left Barguna launch ghat on Wednesday morning for fishing in the Bay of Bengal. The trawler capsized in the sea following storm on Saturday morning. Fishermen of other nearby trawlers could not rescue those fishermen as the sea was billowy. Earlier on Saturday a trawler named FB Tarikul-1 capsized near Narikelbaria area in the Bay while carrying 17 fishermen. The other fishermen rescued 16 fishermen but cook of the trawler Amirul is still missing. Barguna district fishing trawlers owners association said the rescue operation is going on to salvage the missing. AH