On 15 January 2023, the Royal Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS TAMAR has arrived at the naval base in Chattogram, Bangladesh. The vessel was received by Chief Staff Officer to Commander Chattogram Naval Area, Capt M Faizul Hoque, (C), psc, BN. The deployment of HMS TAMAR emphasises the UK's commitment to defence cooperation with Bangladesh, and to an open and resilient international order for open societies and economies to flourish.
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 countries' military, trade, development and political alliances.
Commanding Officer of HMS TAMAR Commander Teilo Elliot-Smith, Royal Navy said: "It is a complete honour to bring HMS TAMAR to Bangladesh. Apart from the cultural wonder of Chittagong I'm excited to better understand maritime security priorities in the Bay of Bengal. Our welcome was spectacular and it's clear we have much in common."
British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson said: "I am delighted that HMS TAMAR is visiting Bangladesh, the second Royal Navy ship to come to Chattogram in eighteen months, and I am very grateful to the Bangladesh Navy for their warm welcome. This visit is another example of the UK's long history of defence cooperation with Bangladesh, especially in the maritime domain. As part of the Indo Pacific focus to our foreign policy we are committed to further deepening defence and naval cooperation with Bangladesh."
It is worth mentioning that a significant number of Bangladesh Navy personnel have trained alongside the Royal Navy in the UK, including at the Royal College of Defence Studies; on International Principal Warfare Courses, Royal Navy Young Officer Courses, Advance Marine Engineering Courses, Marine Engineering Application and Management Courses, International Midshipman Courses, and Underwater Medicine Courses; and through the UK government's prestigious Chevening Scholarship.
