The government has taken decision to set up an oceanography research centre in Cox’s Bazar aiming to gain knowledge about the blue economy.
“Japan will provide necessary equipment for the centre,” Maritime Affairs Unit Secretary Khurshed Alam told the Dhaka Tribune.
The government has adopted a blue economy outlook as the Bay of Bengal is becoming strategically important for progress in Bangladesh.
“We don’t even have water temperature equipment which is very vital for fishing as fish movement depends on water temperature,” Alam said.
The government is working on preparing a national strategy on the blue economy to tap marine resources in a sustainable manner, he added.
“We want to understand the blue economy from foreign experts to prepare our national plan to tap marine resources.”
A high-powered delegation is going to attend Indian Ocean Rim Association ministerial meeting to acquire knowledge about the blue economy.
Alam will lead the delegation at the IORA ministerial meeting to be held in Australia from October 8-9.
Bangladesh is expected to focus on maritime security, disaster management and fisheries in the meeting, he said.
Officials and experts from over 20 countries will take part in the meeting where Bangladesh will get an opportunity to seek cooperation from other littoral and coastal states.
“Bangladesh arranged an international workshop on the blue economy where officials from Mauritius, India and South Africa attended. These three countries will also attend the IORA ministerial meeting. We will have an opportunity to discuss future cooperation,” Alam said.
Lack of skilled manpower, technology and equipment are the main barriers to utilising marine resources in Bangladesh, he added.
The government emphasises the need for preservation, protection and utilisation of ocean resources as Bangladesh exercises its right to explore marine resources in the Bay of Bengal.
Bangladesh won more than 118,813 sq km of waters altogether comprising territorial sea and an exclusive economic zone extending out to 200 nautical miles (370km).
It also has undeniable sovereign rights in the seabed extending as far as 354 nautical miles [around 656km] from Chittagong coast in the Bay of Bengal with all the living and non-living resources.
The Bay of Bengal is the largest among 64 bays in the world and 1.4 billion people live along its coastline in Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Myanmar.
Some 30 million people of Bangladesh have had direct livelihood dependence on oceanic economic activities like fisheries and commercial transportation.