A Russian naval group has called at the port of Chattogram in Bangladesh for the first time in almost half a century.
"The Russian Pacific Fleet Squadron is visiting the Chattogram Port. A huge milestone for Russia-Bangladesh relations," said the Russian Embassy in Dhaka in a message shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday.
The last time Russian/Soviet naval ships visited Bangladesh was 50 years ago, said the Embassy.
The Pacific Fleet’s naval group comprises the large anti-submarine warfare ships Admiral Tributs and Admiral Panteleyev and the oceanic tanker Pechenga, according to TASS.
The combat ships moored at the Chittagong port considered as the south Asian country’s main sea harbor.
As Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Mantytskiy told TASS, last time Russian combat ships called at Bangladesh 50 years ago to carry out a unique and, unfortunately, little-known operation to clear the Chittagong port of mines.
"At that time, the group of Russian naval ships came here actually to save the young country that gained its independence in 1971 from a humanitarian catastrophe. After the war of independence, the port’s waters were mined and also tens of vessels were sunk there," the ambassador said.
The Bangladeshi authorities turned to various countries with a request to help resolve the problem.
Some of them agreed but for a large sum of money, which the republic lacked. It was only the Soviet Union that agreed to provide support for humanitarian reasons, the envoy said.
The mine-clearing operation lasted from April 1972 to June 1974.
Over 800 Soviet Navy sailors worked hard for 26 months. A Russian naval diver died in the mine-clearing effort. However, the Soviet naval sailors accomplished their objective and Chittagong could now receive vessels from all over the world.
