PM hands over CDDL to navy
Chittagong Dry Dock Limited, an enterprise of Bangladesh Steel and Engineering Corporation dedicated to shipbuilding, maintenance and repairing, was handed over to Bangladesh Navy today (Wednesday) aimed at turning it into an international standard shipyard/dockyard.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday formally handed over the order of the transfer to the Director General of the Dry Dock Commodore M Jahangir Alam and unveiled the nameplate of the dry dock at its premises.
The handing over agreement was signed by Industries Ministry Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral SAMA Abedin in presence of the prime minister.
Addressing a function on the occasion at Chittagong Dry Dock premises the Prime Minister said the handing over of the Dry Dock is a milestone in the shipbuilding history of Bangladesh as it marks gradual advancement of Bangladesh Navy.
"It`s my expectation that Bangladesh Navy would keep its mark of success through turning Chittagong Dry Dock Limited as a state of the art and effective organization and the Dry Dock would never be sick," she said.
Minister for Industries Amir Hossain Amu, navy chief Vice Admiral M Farid Habib also spoke on the occasion.
The vision of the handover is to make the enterprise capable of undertaking full range of dry docking and repair afloat of ocean going vessels as well as production of world class ocean-going ships.
The prime minister recalled that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman after independence had undertaken project for revival of the closed Chittagong Dry Dock with support from friendly country the then Yugoslavia.
But, after the assassination of Bangabandhu a black chapter without development and democracy engulfed the country, she said adding that due to lack of farsightedness, unskilled, mismanagement and misrule of subsequent governments, many public enterprises including Chittagong Dry Dock became sick.
She said after assuming office in 1996, her government took steps to make the sick state-owned enterprises profitable. And as part of the initiative, Khulna Shipyard and Narayanganj Dockyard were handed over to Navy, and now both the shipyards turned into effective and profitable enterprises after the handover.
The Prime Minister said Khulna Shipyard has created an epoch-making history in the country`s shipbuilding industry through building country`s first war ship. He said Bangladesh Naval ship `Sandwip` and Bangladesh Naval ship `Hatiya` built in this shipyard have already been commissioned.
Besides, two landing craft tank (LCT) recently built in Narayanganj dockyard have been commissioned to Navy. "We`ve established ourselves as a shipbuilding county in global arena through such advancement of the country`s shipyards, she said.
Sheikh Hasina assured the workers of Chittagong Dry Dock that the transfer of the Dry Dock to Bangladesh Navy would not be a cause of losing their jobs, rather it would create an opportunity for them to fully utilize their working efficiency.
She urged each and every Navy personnel to discharge their duties with utmost sincerity and integrity in nation building activities alongside curbing smuggling, tackling natural disasters and establishing global peace.
The prime minister expressed her hope that Chittagong Dry Dock would play a far reaching role in the maintenance work of the naval ships.
On her arrival at the Dry Dock, a smartly turned out contingent of Navy presented Guard of Honour to the Prime Minister. She inspected the parade and took salute.
