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Navy reacts to press reports

JS body chief says people have right to know

Staff Correspondent
Bangladesh Navy terms "undesirable" the news recently published in different national dailies on its problems and development plans and says the media didn't take the "views" of die Headquarters or ISPR.
Different national dailies ran die news after a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on defence ministry on June 22 dial discussed the navy's report stipulating its problems and development plans.
After the meeting, Committee Chairman M Idris Ali briefed newspersons and revealed some of the problems and plans of the navy quoting the report placed before the parliamentary body.
On behalf of navy, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate in a letter sent to the editors of 25 national dailies "advised" them to take its views before reporting on “sensitive" development plans for the naval force. The Daily Star received its copy of the letter on Friday.
The letter says the attention of the naval HQ was drawn to the news reports published recently on the development plans of the force. In a report, the navy placed its development plans to the parliamentary body concerned, it reads.
"As the existing problems in navy and its development plans are important for the state and are very sensitive, publication of such news items without taking the views of the ISPR is not desirable," the letter adds.
Copies of the letter were forwarded to the Armed Forces Division under the PMO, secretariats of the chiefs of the army, navy and air force, naval intelligence and the headquarters of the Directorate General of the Forces Intelligence.
Asked about the letter, Idris Ali on Sunday told The Daily Star the navy report contained no secret.
"As public representatives we're working for the people and the people have every right to know about the defence forces. We have made public what we thought was good," Idris, also former defence secretary, said.
Contacted by The Daily Star, Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, who was chief of the parliamentary standing committee on defence ministry in last parliament, expressed surprised at the navy letter.
"1 read the news carried by different dailies. I found no secret regarding state security in navy’s development plans. Rather I felt good that the parliamentary body has
started working to upgrade navy as a three dimensional force," Mahbub, also former ChiefofStaff, commented.
Both Idris and Mahbub said only operational plans of any defence force is considered secret, but the navy's report didn't contain any such plan.
"People over the world know how many frigates and gunboats belong to our navy. Nothing is secret here," Idris continued.
He said he does not know why the navy sent such a letter to the newspapers.
Mahbub said the parliamentary standing committee on defence ministry in last parliament also discussed various issues on defence forces including upgrading the navy and newspapers published news Ufsed on the meetings.
"After each meeting, 1 briefed the media so that they could inform the people," he added.
The former army chief went on to say navy placed the report before the parliamentary body, which would discuss it and let the people know about it. It is a democratic system, he asserted.
After the June 22 meeting, Idris in a news briefing said Bangladesh Navy made a presentation before the committee highlighting their problems and possible solutions. The force is facing a dearth of equipment, modern ships and manpower in discharging its duties, he added.
The committee chief also said almost all of the navy ships are very old and two of the four frigates are over 50 years old.
Based on the briefing, the dailies published the news on June 22.