Khulna Shipyard in Bangladesh has been awarded a contract to construct five modern patrol ships worth Tk2.80bn ($40m) for the Bangladesh Navy, according to Anisur Rahman Molla, the company’s deputy general manager.

The ships will be 50m long and 7m wide and will have an optimum speed of 20-25mph.

Each ship will be equipped with two kinds of guns to carry out operational activities.

The machinery and equipment for the construction of the ships have been imported from the UK, according to The Financial Express.

Work will officially begin on 5 March 2011 and is expected to be completed by December 2013.