At least four Bangladeshi nationals have been killed and around 100 more, including 21 members of the Bangladesh Navy, have been injured in two massive explosions that rocked the port of Lebanese capital Beirut on Tuesday.
In a press release on Wednesday 5th August, 2020, the Inter Service Public Relation Directorate (ISPR) confirmed at least 21 members of Bangladesh Navy had been injured in the two explosions on Tuesday 4th.
All of them were on duty aboard Bangladesh Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel BNS BIJOY F 35 under the Maritime Task Force deployed as part of United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Beirut, confirmed the statement. Currently, the authorities are assessing damage of the naval ship and Bangladesh Navy has been taking part in UNIFIL since May 10 as part of peacekeeping mission.
The Bangladesh Navy Headquarters is keeping constant communication with BNS BIJOY, UNIFIL Headquarters and Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut in this regard.
UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Del Col said: “We are with the people and the Government of Lebanon during this difficult time and stand ready to help and provide any assistance and support.” UNIFIL is currently assessing the situation, including the scale of the impact on UNIFIL personnel, it said.
The ship was laid down by Hall, Russell & Company of Aberdeen, Scotland, on 25th June 1980 and launched on 3rd June 1981. She was commissioned to the Royal Navy as HMS DUMBARTON CASTLE P 265 on 12th March 1982. She served the Royal Navy from 1982 to 2008. The ship was decommissioned in 2008. The Bangladesh Navy acquired the ship on 14 May 2010 and she entered Chittagong . The ship on 21st January 2011. On 5th March 2011 she was commissioned as BNS BIJOY F 35.
Her Sister ship BNS DHALESHWARI F 36 here as HMS LEEDS CASTLE P 258 back to June 2005.
After damage access the ship will be replaced by another Bangladesh Navy ship – BNS SHONGRAM F 113 a 2020 commissioned Type 056 corvette in her UNIFIL mission of which she departed her naval base BNS ISSA KHAN on Saturday 9th August,2020
Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Tuesday 11th August, 2020
