Khulna Shipyard hands over locally made ship to army

The newly built Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel, which Khulna Shipyard Limited built for Bangladesh Army at a cost of Tk 16 crore, at the handover ceremony on the bank of Rupsha River yesterday.Photo: STAR

The authorities of Khulna Shipyard Limited yesterday handed over a newly built Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) worth Tk 16 crore to Army Chief General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan.
The ship, which measures at 19.85 metres in length and 7 metres in breadth, was designed by China Shipbuilding Offshore Company (CSOC). The company also provided materials for the ship's construction.
Former army chief Abdul Mubin had inaugurated the vessel's construction works on June 29, 2011.
The ship is able to move at a speed of 10 to 15 nautical miles an hour, said Commodore R U Ahmed, also the managing director of the shipyard, at a ceremony held on the bank of Rupsha river to officially hand over the vessel.
Import of such a vessel, the first of its kind built for Bangladesh Army, would cost the country over Tk 50 crore, he added.
With 45 crew members, the ship can continue running for two days and nights at a stretch, the commodore said, adding that the vessel was launched on the river Rupsha on June 23 this year.
Speaking as the chief guest, Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan said the LCVP will run during war and during relief distribution after disaster strikes.
Khulna Divisional Commissioner Md Abdul Zalil, among others, attended the function.
The shipyard, on October 8, launched the first Patrol Craft for Bangladesh Navy.