UK carrier strike group sails to Bangladesh

News Desk: Frigate HMS Kent of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group deployment (CSG21) was welcomed by the Bangladesh Navy.

On the morning of 14 October, type 23 frigate HMS Kent of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group deployment (CSG21) sailed to Bangladesh, arriving at the naval base in Chattogram. The visit will celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence and highlight the historic bilateral defence connections and people-to people relationships between the UK and Bangladesh. This year, with the spirit of Brit Bangla Bondhon, the UK is demonstrating the depth and significance of UK-Bangla ties through its commitment to engage more with Bangladesh as a partner of sustainable peace and growth.

The deployment of HMS Kent, as part of the Carrier Strike Group, highlights the UK’s commitment to defence cooperation and to an open and resilient international order in which open societies and economies continue to flourish and the benefits of prosperity are shared through trade and global growth.

During the visit, HMS Kent 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 and political alliances.

Commanding Officer of HMS Kent Commander Matt Sykes said: “We are hugely grateful to the Government of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Navy for their support for HMS Kent’s visit. Bangladesh’s inclusion in the Carrier Strike Group deployment is very much a demonstration of the deep and longstanding UK-Bangladesh relationship.”

British High Commissioner HE Robert Chatterton Dickson said: “I am delighted that HMS Kent, as part of the UK Carrier Strike Group, has been able to visit Bangladesh at such an important time in the country’s history. Bangladesh’s golden jubilee celebrations provide a welcome opportunity to reflect on the country’s remarkable achievements since independence.

“I extend my sincere gratitude to the Bangladesh Navy for welcoming the Royal Navy today. This builds on a long history of defence cooperation that the UK is extremely proud of; we are committed to deepening our cooperation as a key part of the enduring relationship between our two countries.”

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.