UNB :
There is still no adequate allocation for research, no attention to developing the value chain and market of seaweed, no visible initiative to assess the stocks of non-living marine resources including mineral resources
Bangladesh should urgently create a new ministry to lead and oversee coordinated efforts in unlocking the full potentials of the blue economy ranging from the sustainable development of marine fisheries to sea and coastal tourism, experts working on this field said.
They suggested the formation of a separate ministry on blue economy noting that the existing Blue Economy Cell under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division has failed to make any breakthrough to exploit the potentials in the Bay of Bengal.
In interviews with UNB over the past week, the experts observed that the government has taken various measures aimed at exploiting the vast marine resources since settling the maritime boundary disputes with neighbouring India and Myanmar nearly a decade ago.
But these have mostly been related to fishing, establishing disciplines in different universities, marine institutes and academies and formulating different laws in this field, according to experts from different universities.
There is still no adequate allocation for research, no attention to developing the value chain and market of seaweed, no visible initiative to assess the stocks of non-living marine resources including mineral resources, they said.
Dr Md Kawser Ahmed, Professor of Oceanography Department in Dhaka University, said a number of ministries and government agencies are currently related to the blue economy, but they are working in scattered ways.
“A coordinated initiative is needed to tap the full potentials of the blue economy. So, it is essential to form a separate ministry like the Ministry of Ocean Affairs,” he suggested.
“We can add 3-4% to our existing GDP growth if we are able to ensure the optimum exploitation of the blue economy,” he estimates.
Referring to the establishment of marine-related disciplines in different universities, Prof Kawser said there is not enough fund and technology for research which are the main barriers to create skilled manpower in this sector.
Alongside the traditional fishing, Bangladesh needs to pay attention to commercial production of tuna, other high-valued fish and seaweed, he mentions.
“We’ve to take effective measures immediately to unlock the potentials of blue economy as we’re already so much late,” said the oceanography professor.
Prof Sayedur Rahman Chowdhury of the Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries at Chittagong University said 9-10 ministries are related to the blue economy. The fisheries and education ministries have worked much in this regard.
The government has also enacted blue economy-related laws. “But no visible progress is seen in other sectors,” he said.
He said a strong body instead of the existing blue economy cell is needed to design and execute plans for sustainable fishing, creating skilled manpower, developing shipping industry, coastal and sea tourism, assess non-living resources particularly mineral resources, assess the feasibility of renewable energy.
Noting that Bangladesh can largely be benefitted from sustainable fishing, he said empirical evidences indicate that large fish species like Lakkha and Coral, which were available in past years, are not found as frequently anymore.
