President to open four navy warships today

President M Abdul Hamid is set to commission today four navy warships built by state-run Khulna Shipyard Ltd (KSY).

A Bangabhaban spokesman said the president would travel to Khulna and hand over the warships - Nishan, Durgam, Halda and Pashur - to Bangladesh Navy at a ceremony, BSS reported.

'The ceremony will be held at Titumir Naval Base Jetty area at Khalishpur there," President's Press Secretary M Joynal Abedin told BSS.

KSY officials, meanwhile, said they built the four ships at a cost of Taka 942 crore which were put on experimental patrol duty in the Bay of Bengal and Bhairab and Rupsha rivers ahead of the formal commissioning.

KSY general manager for production Captain M Nurul Islam Sharif said with a cruising speed of 25 nautical miles, Nishan and Durgam were categorized as patrol boats while the other two Halda and Pashur were categorized as submarine tag boats.

"All the crafts are equipped with modern military guns and automatic arms facilities. . . they are of global standard and will be used to maintain security at maritime boundary and collect marine resources," he added.