We have talked a lot about the potentiality and possibility of Bangladesh economy from various perspectives. Now, we can discuss the potentialities of blue economy and its exploration and exploitation from different corners. The blue economy concept is new and has opened the doors to know about it and its roles in the economy of Bangladesh. Bangladesh has vast water resources with its canal, rivers, and in the South Bay of Bengal which has immense opportunities for investment in the water resources.
We have got maritime boundary demarcation in the sea area with India and Myanmar in 2012 and 2014 respectively. Now, time has come to give more attention and engage our indigenous human resource to explore and exploit these invaluable water resources (fishes, pearl, minerals, gas, carbons, carbon related products, water plants etc.) and its adjacent areas for tours, travels and hospitalities.
We can hire the foreign experts and international oil companies to explore the blue economy’s potentials but it will cost a big amount of money and will affect our national economy and GDP (Gross National Product). But if we can produce and nurture our own skilled manpower i.e. our human resources in that area, there will be a great saving of our national income. Our neighboring countries like Myanmar, India, Thailand and China have heavily invested for exploring their vast sea resources and exploiting the blue economy for their own developments.
Bangladesh government has also emphasized on the blue economies and its related resources and giving licenses to various educational institutions such as Marine Academy of Chattagarm, National Maritime Institute, Chattagarm, other private Maritime Institutes in Dhaka. Marine Academy, Chattagarm was established long before for training of marine cadets to prepare themselves professionally in accordance with the International Maritime Organization of the United Nation (UN). This academy is rendering various programmes for providing training courses to thousands of marine officers and engineers (preparatory and ancillary). In order to create women empowerment, female cadet training has been introduced in the Marine Academy. In accordance with the joint initiative of Australian Maritime College under the project titled “Marine Educational Development”, its training programmes like internationalization, simplification of cadet’s employment in international merchant fleet, modernization of all training courses have been made through International Maritime Employers Committee (IMEC) and IMO (International Maritime Organization) STCW convention, 2010.
National Maritime Institute, Chattagarm is also offering various programmes. It is only the technical training centre for Bangladesh seafarers. In this institution, 1,146 trainees were trained in the FY2012-2013 and 2,540 in the FY2013-14. The number of regular trainees is increasing day by day. The unemployed youths are selected for training from all over the country under a standard selection procedures. They are trained here as per the syllabus in accordance with the STCW convention of IMO (International Maritime Organization) to develop them into competent maritime manpower. Various ancillary courses are being introduced here for enhancing the skills and promotion of serving seafarers (post-sea rating officers).
The seafarers trained from this institute are employed in the national and foreign flag-ships earn remarkable foreign currency, which plays an important role for the development of socio-economic of the country. The National Conservation Commission Law-2013 has been enacted by the National Parliament in order to protect the rivers and water bodies from illegal occupation, pollution of water and environment, construction of illegal infrastructure and various illegal interventions in the rivers.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Bangladesh is the first maritime university by an act of Parliament on October 2013. It is another step to make the most skilled, educated manpower in the field of maritime resource in the country. It is the 37th public university of the country, 3rd maritime university in South-Asia, 12th in the world. Right after the inception, the university started its journey towards excellence. Memorandums of understanding (MoU) with a few reputed maritime universities of the world have already been signed for necessary supports to maintain high standard education in this university.
The university is planning to include oceanographic research vessel for training of students and also for research to explore our sea resources. All of the institutions mentioned above are to produce more skilled manpower for exploring and exploiting of our blue economy. We should use and take initiatives of all possible opportunities for our sustainable economic development. If needed, we should send our maritime educated manpower for exclusive training in foreign land and use these experiences inclusively in our native land.
With the landmark verdict on the delimitation of maritime boundary with India and Myanmar, Bangladesh has been endowed with a large sea area and now time has come to exploit and explore these possibilities and potentialities. Effective exploration and exploitation of maritime resources is therefore of paramount interest for economic emancipation and solving unemployment problem of the country in the 21st century and thereafter.
The writer is an Additional Land Acquisition Officer, in DC (Deputy Commissioner) Office, Dhaka. E-mail: [email protected]