Oregon Guard, port officials visit Bangladesh

By Tech. Sgt. Nick Choy
Oregon National Guard

DHAKA, Bangladesh, (8/30/10) - “Hugely successful” was how the new director of Oregon’s State Partnership Program described his team’s recent trip here Aug. 8-10.

Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Crosby, who is also the chief of Public Safety and Security for the Portland International Airport, witnessed first-hand the changes and improvements at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka —Bangladesh’s largest airport.

“We not only saw changes to the airport in the general appearance—which seemed more pleasant for the passengers—but we also observed enhanced security,” Crosby said.

The group toured the airport, noting changes and improvements to security procedures, passenger screening and airport infrastructure, based on a 12-point work plan developed during an April 2010 workshop in Portland.

Enhancing security and safety at the airport is a priority for the Bangladeshi government in order to secure direct flights between their government and the United States, utilizing their national airline, Biman Airlines, Crosby said.

Changes there were a direct result of a visit to Portland International Airport earlier this year by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladeshi (CAAB) officials in April, he added.

“It’s a tribute to the civilian aviation’s leadership that these changes were implemented,” Crosby said.

These visits build upon the relationship created between Oregon and Bangladesh as part of the State Partnership Program (SPP).

Oregon's partnership with Bangladesh came from a 2008 meeting involving commanders from U.S. Pacific Command, National Guard Bureau, and Maj. Gen. Raymond F. Rees, the adjutant general of the Oregon National Guard.

Launched by the National Guard Bureau and the State Department in 1993, the SPP is intended to support U.S. security cooperation objectives. Bangladesh is located on the sub-continent of Eurasia, bordered on the west by India, Nepal and Bhutan to the north and Myanmar to the East.

The partnership between Oregon and Bangladesh has three goals; to further the program’s objectives of promoting developing democracies, improve security and stability in the partner nation, and finally, to develop stronger personal relationships between both partners’ militaries.

During the August trip, Air Force Maj. Dan Schilling, the former SPP director, highlighted the Oregon National Guard’s unique position in both the military and civilian sectors as the strength behind the program.

“The men and women of our organization have really extensive experience in a lot of areas that are relevant to what we’re trying to do here,” he said.

Another area of concern for Oregon and Bangladeshi officials is both regions’ proximity to earthquake and flood zones. Both governments can benefit from knowledge sharing in emergency management and disaster response, given Bangladesh’s bi-annual flooding during its monsoon seasons, Schilling said.

“A stronger bridge (between our two countries) is necessary,” he added.

One of the program’s focus areas in the future is to exchange and discuss best practices for military assistance to civilian authorities, especially in the area of earthquakes and flooding, Crosby said.

Crosby cited an upcoming National Guard Bureau and Northern Command exercise in Oregon in 2012, as another opportunity to exchange ideas.

“Bangladesh is very interested in learning from us in some areas so they can enhance their emergency response in earthquakes,” he said.

A large earthquake hit the region at the end of the 19th century, killing tens of thousands. Lt. Col. Mohammed Towhid-Ul-Islam, the joint operations officer for the Armed Forces Division, said he is particularly interested in training emergency personnel in his country.

“Our key responders need the information and technical expertise in order to successfully carry out emergency response,” Towhid-Ul-Islam said.

During the August meetings in Dhaka, Towhid-Ul-Islam and his team said that if a disaster ever hits the Pacific Northwest, he hopes Bangladesh can come to the aid of Oregonians.

“That was very gratifying (to hear),” Crosby said. “Our hope is that if Bangladesh ever requests assistance from the United States, their first call will be to Oregon.”

Due to the developing relationships between Oregon and Bangladesh, both Crosby and Schilling said key leadership in Oregon and Bangladesh have started trusting each other, and are becoming very comfortable with the partnership.

“In the long run it’s about relationships,” Schilling said. “The values that come out of those relationships are confidence and friendship, and it will allow us to circumvent any problems that arise.”

The National Guard's State Partnership Program currently has 62 partnerships between U.S. states and foreign nations.