A high-level four-member delegation from the Bangladesh Navy visited last week UNIFIL’s Maritime Task Force corvette BNS BIJOY, which was damaged during the 4 August explosions at the Port of Beirut. 

The delegation, headed by Rear Admiral Mohammad Moyeenul Haque, included a technical and operations team tasked with evaluating and examining the operational state and the extent of the damages caused by the explosion.  

“After this incident, the Bangladesh Government sent a military aircraft C-130, with aid to the Lebanese people, with medical items, PPE (personal protective equipment), masks, medicine, and essential tools that were handed over to the Lebanese Armed Forces at the airport," he stated.  

"The main purpose of our visit is to make an evaluation and damage assessment on the current operational state of the ship after the damages sustained due to the massive explosions at the port that instantly destroyed several structures, warehouses and vehicles,” he added.  

During the visit, Rear Admiral Haque also visited UNIFIL Headquarters in Naqoura, where he met with Deputy Head of Mission Jack Christofides, Deputy Force Commander Brigadier General Irvine Nii-Ayitey Aryeetey.

The delegation also visited UNIFIL's Bangladeshi naval peacekeepers, many of whom sustained injuries due to the explosions, to boost up their morale. 

The explosions caused damages to the vessel, which was docked within 200 metres of the explosion site and injured several Bangladeshi naval peacekeepers, with 23 of them requiring hospitalization.

The explosion also caused material damage, including structural deform, breakage of doors and hatches, damage of various electronic and electrical equipment and navigational aids. 

Long-term partnership with UNIFIL 

“In Lebanon, the Bangladesh Navy has a long working history with UNIFIL over the past 10 years that will remain stronger than ever," Rear Admiral Haque added, while speaking about the long-term partnership and commitment of UNIFIL and the government of Bangladesh to the Lebanese people.

"Bangladesh considers Lebanon a very good friend and we are always standing with the Lebanese people and the Lebanese Armed Forces for any type of assistance that they need to recover from this difficult time," he reassured.