Exploring the blue economy

For increasing the pace of economic development, harnessing the country’s marine resources can prove crucial

It is encouraging to know that survey of the country’s marine resources in the Bay of Bengal will begin in November next year. After resolving of the settlement of maritime disputes with Myanmar and India at the international court of arbitration, as many as four years have elapsed but no serious steps have been undertaken to find out what lies beneath the Bay of Bengal. 
For increasing the pace of economic development, harnessing the country’s marine resources can prove crucial. But it is sad to know that we are still in dark about the wealth hidden in our part of the sea. Bangladesh has procured a high-tech 37.8-meter long multipurpose research vessel to survey the marine resources from Malaysia in June this year. According to a report published in this newspaper, equipped with the latest technology for fisheries and other oceanographic research, the vessel is expected to play a role in managing marine resources and improving the lifestyle of around 5 lakh people living in coastal areas who depend on fishing. 
Bangladesh now posse­sses 118,813 square kilometers of waters. It has achieved undeniable sovereign rights in the seabed also with all the living and non-living resources. Indeed, if these huge resources can be properly utilised, Bangladesh economy can get the required thrust to soon become a middle income nation within a short time. An energy-starved country, Bangladesh’s energy consumption will increase everyday, the thrust of exploration activities thus needs to be concentrated very soon. 
But we have to build up our own technological as well as professional manpower for exploring energy resources in the sea. Initially Bangladesh must take assistance from foreign companies. But unless we develop our own professional manpower and build up enough technological bases to explore the sea on our own in future, we will not be able to get maximum benefit from our seabed.
Bangladesh still largely depends on the expertise of naval forces for its maritime activities. Now initiatives have to be taken to establish separate government department to better manage the sea resources with the focus on developing our own expertise. 
Only a department of oceanography at Dhaka University will not prove adequate for us. The nation should now go for creating a maritime institute for deeper and wider education on the field. Bnagladesh celebrated hugely the victory in maritime disputes with Myanmar and India. Mere feeling that we have a rich store of blue economy will mean very little practically.

 

Exploring the blue economy

For increasing the pace of economic development, harnessing the countrys marine resources can prove crucial

It is encouraging to know that survey of the countrys marine resources in the Bay of Bengal will begin in November next year. After resolving of the settlement of maritime disputes with Myanmar and India at the international court of arbitration, as many as four years have elapsed but no serious steps have been undertaken to find out what lies beneath the Bay of Bengal. For increasing the pace of economic development, harnessing the countrys marine resources can prove crucial. But it is sad to know that we are still in dark about the wealth hidden in our part of the sea. Bangladesh has procured a high-tech 37.8-meter long multipurpose research vessel to survey the marine resources from Malaysia in June this year. According to a report published in this newspaper, equipped with the latest technology for fisheries and other oceanographic research, the vessel is expected to play a role in managing marine resources and improving the lifestyle of around 5 lakh people living in coastal areas who depend on fishing. Bangladesh now possesses 118,813 square kilometers of waters. It has achieved undeniable sovereign rights in the seabed also with all the living and non-living resources. Indeed, if these huge resources can be properly utilised, Bangladesh economy can get the required thrust to soon become a middle income nation within a short time. An energy-starved country, Bangladeshs energy consumption will increase everyday, the thrust of exploration activities thus needs to be concentrated very soon. But we have to build up our own technological as well as professional manpower for exploring energy resources in the sea. Initially Bangladesh must take assistance from foreign companies. But unless we develop our own professional manpower and build up enough technological bases to explore the sea on our own in future, we will not be able to get maximum benefit from our seabed. Bangladesh still largely depends on the expertise of naval forces for its maritime activities. Now initiatives have to be taken to establish separate government department to better manage the sea resources with the focus on developing our own expertise. Only a department of oceanography at Dhaka University will not prove adequate for us. The nation should now go for creating a maritime institute for deeper and wider education on the field. Bnagladesh celebrated hugely the victory in maritime disputes with Myanmar and India. Mere feeling that we have a rich store of blue economy will mean very little practically.