The Bangladesh Coast Guard carried out a special drill on Thursday morning at the outer anchorage of the Karnaphuli River estuary to enhance security at Chittagong Port and within the country’s maritime boundaries. The exercise aimed to reinforce surveillance and operational readiness in one of the nation’s most vital trade gateways.

At a press briefing following the drill, Captain Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Zonal Commander of the Coast Guard East Zone, said that the force has been maintaining continuous monitoring and patrols to ensure the safety of commercial vessels anchored offshore. Over the past one and a half years, more than 1,320 operations have been conducted, recovering stolen cargo from five ships and returning it to the respective authorities.

According to Coast Guard data, 4,273 commercial vessels were handled at Chittagong Port in 2025, marking a 10.5% increase from the previous year. Strengthened maritime security has improved the port’s international safety index, increased foreign vessel arrivals, and reduced piracy and theft incidents from 13 in 2024 to 4 in 2025.