[🇧🇩-Navy] Indigenous Frigate Program of Bangladesh Navy

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egu6RobWwqE&t=9s

As per the video below the govt. is thinking of awarding the high performance frigate project to India. I hope the news is false because if we buy frigates from India, China will abandon us once and for all.

 

[Saif]

As of late 2025/early 2026, the Bangladesh Navy operates a fleet of five guided-missile frigates (Type 053H3, Type 053H2, Ulsan-class) and two Hamilton-class patrol frigates, primarily acquired from China and the US, strengthening their offshore patrol and surface warfare capabilities. Key assets include BNS Umar Farooq, BNS Abu Ubaidah, and BNS Bangabandhu.

Key Active Frigates in the Bangladesh Navy:
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• Type 053H3 (Jiangwei II) Class: BNS Umar Farooq (F16), BNS Abu Ubaidah (F19).​
• Type 053H2 (Jianghu-III) Class: BNS Abu Bakr (F15), BNS Ali Haider (F17).​
• Modified Ulsan-class: BNS Khalid Bin Walid (F25).​
• Hamilton-class (Patrol Frigates): BNS Somudra Joy (F28), BNS Somudra Avijan (F29).​

Future Expansion Program:​

• Bangladesh Navy Frigate Program: A project aiming to build 6 multi-role stealth guided missile frigates, initiated under the Forces Goal 2030 plan.​
• Competition: Proposals for this multi-billion dollar program have involved contenders like China (Type-054A), Italy (Bergamini-class), and Turkey (Istanbul-class).​
• Construction: The plan involves building these vessels with foreign technical collaboration at local facilities like Chittagong Dry Dock Ltd.​

The navy has been upgrading from older vessels (like the retired BNS Osman) to modern, missile-equipped frigates to boost their defense capabilities in the Bay of Bengal.​