BIISS holds seminar on navigating Bangladesh’s blue economy

The Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) organised a seminar on "Navigating the Blue Economy: Ocean Resources Management in Bangladesh" on Wednesday at the BIISS auditorium. Brigadier General (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain, ndc, psc, Adviser, Ministry of Shipping & Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of Bangladesh, attended as the chief guest. Major General Iftekhar Anis, BSP, awc, afwc, psc, PEng, Director General, BIISS, delivered the welcome address and concluding remarks while chairing the session. Dr Mohammad Jasim Uddin, Research Director, BIISS, delivered the vote of thanks.

Three presentations were delivered during the seminar. Commodore Sheikh Mahmudul Hassan (H), OSP, NPP, AOWC, PSC, BN (Retd), Additional Secretary, Maritime Affairs Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, discussed "Ensuring Sustainable Exploitation of Bangladesh's Ocean Resources: Opportunities and Constraints." Professor Dr Lailufar Yasmin, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka, presented "Towards Integrated Ocean Management: Strategic Priorities and Regional Cooperation in the Bay of Bengal." Ms Moutusi Islam, Research Fellow, BIISS, delivered a presentation titled "Mapping Legal and Policy Frameworks for Ocean Governance in Bangladesh: Identifying Gaps and Policy Imperatives." An open discussion session followed.

Speakers highlighted that Bangladesh's growing population and shrinking land resources necessitate harnessing maritime potential. The Bay of Bengal (BoB) is central to this effort, providing rich marine resources and serving as a strategic trade route for over 90% of the country's imports and exports. They emphasised that integrating sustainable practices with technological innovation, community engagement, and policy coordination can help the nation reduce poverty, strengthen climate resilience, ensure food security, and promote inclusive, environmentally responsible blue growth.

Regional cooperation was identified as crucial for effective integrated ocean management, given that the BoB's marine ecosystems and resources transcend national boundaries. Strengthening partnerships through agreements, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building ensures equitable and sustainable use of ocean resources.

Senior officials from various ministries, serving and retired military personnel, diplomatic representatives, media, researchers, academicians, students, think tank members, and business professionals actively participated in the seminar, sharing insights, suggestions, and observations during the discussion session.