Bangladesh Navy: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

The Bangladesh Navy was created as part of [[Bangladesh Forces]] during Bangladesh's [[Bangladesh Liberation War|1971 liberation war]] against Pakistan. Its official creation date is July 1971 during the [[Bangladesh Sector Commanders Conference 1971]]. In 1971, with [[West Pakistan]] imposing a brutal military crackdown in [[East Pakistan]], the Bangladesh Liberation War was already underway. Many Bengali sailors and officers in the [[Pakistan Navy]] defected to form the nascent Bangladesh Navy. Initially, there were two ships, ''PADMA'' and ''PALASH'', and 45 navy personnel. On 9 November 1971, the first naval fleet, consisting of six small [[patrol vessel]]s, was inaugurated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=War_of_Liberation,_The|title=War of Liberation, The|website=[[Banglapedia]]|access-date=1 July 2015|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201163536/http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=War_of_Liberation,_The|url-status=live}}</ref> These ships tried to carry out raids on the Pakistani fleet, but were mistakenly hit and sunk by the [[Indian Air Force]] on 10 December 1971. The next major attack was launched on [[Port of Mongla|Mongla]] seaport. According to official figures from the Bangladesh Navy, a total of 334 sailors were involved with the newly created navy, with 22 being killed in action.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bangladeshnavy.org/liber.html |title=Bangladesh Navy in Liberation War |website=Bangladesh Navy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613092723/http://bangladeshnavy.org/liber.html |archive-date=13 June 2010}}</ref>

===Independence to the end of the 20th century===

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In 1971, it was imperative for the occupation force to keep ports and harbours operative and the sea lines of communication open. The Bangladesh Navy fought to block the sea lines of communication, and to make the sea and river ports inoperative. They attacked all the seaports including many river ports. [[Operation Jackpot]] is one of the best known and most successful operations. They carried out [[Naval mine|mining]] in the [[Pasur River]] Channel by patrol craft. With other fighters they also carried out attacks against the Pakistan Army. As a result, Bangladesh became an independent state within the shortest possible time.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of Bangladesh Naval Academy|url=http://www.bangladeshnavy.mil.bd/bna.html|website=Bangladesh Navy|access-date=3 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704015728/http://www.bangladeshnavy.mil.bd/bna.html|archive-date=4 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After independence, especially in the 1970s, additional naval infrastructure was required. Two ex-[[Royal Navy]] [[frigate]]s joined the Bangladesh Navy as {{ship|BNS|Umar Farooq|1976|6}} and {{ship|BNS|Ali Haider|1978|6}} in 1976 and 1978 respectively. In 1982, a third ex-Royal Navy frigate joined the BN as {{ship|BNS|Abu Bakr|1982|6}}. The acquisition of these three frigates is considered the principal foundation of the Bangladesh Navy.

===21st century===