Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) has collected a total of six new ships to add to its fleet from China aiming to make this state-owned organization profitable.

Besides, the shipping authorities have planned to add another six ships to its fleet from China in the coming days, a press release said on Friday (Mar 22).

State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury visited the Chinese National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) office in Beijing Friday in this regard, it added.

Meanwhile, the CMC Vice President Kang Hubiao welcomed the state minister and had a meeting with him.

During the meeting, they discussed about the China’s cooperation in a bid to create world class sailors at marine academies in Bangladesh.

Apart from it, issues of circular waterways around Dhaka city, circular roads and the procurement of collecting ships from China to BSC were also discussed.

BSC Managing Director Commodore Yahya Syed and Bangladesh Ambassador to China M Fazlul Karim were present on the occasion.

The government has taken a project to purchase six ships from China with a cost of Tk 15.37 billion to the BSC.

China provided Tk 10 billion while the rest of the money was given by the Bangladesh government in this regard.

Earlier, a total of five ships were added to the BSC fleet so far.

The state minister went to China to attend the inaugural programme of the ship ‘M T Bangla Agrogoti’ on Mar 21 last.

He is expected to return home on Mar 24.