Port infrastructure facilities to boost transit, transshipment: Khalid

The port infrastructures of the country will continue to play a great role to facilitate the transit and trans-shipment facilities for some of our landlocked neighbours using two our major ports for their maritime trade.

State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury MP came up with the remark while speaking at the Reception for IMO Election Campaign on Tuesday (December 7).

Mentioning Bangabandhu’s contribution in Maritime development the state minister said, “This is indeed a special year for Bangladesh as we celebrate 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's independence and the birth centenary of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who gifted our nation Bangladesh Maritime Vision, 1974 Maritime Zones Act as well as the first marine Academy of our nation.”

“To cope up with the increasing demand of international trade, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has allocated a substantial amount of national budget to improve our port infrastructure facilities including building new jetties and terminals, deep sea port, FSRU, the Padma Bridge, the new tunnel under Karnafully river etc,” added he.

Referring to various projects of the government to develop maritime resources Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said, “Education and training of seafarers and other personnel of the maritime industries receives a very high priority in the national agenda”

Bangladesh has been a member state of IMO since 1976 and served as a member of the IMO Council in Category-C between 1981 and 1987 and again category-B from 2002 to 2017.

Mentioning country’s longstanding relationship with the IMO the state minister said, “After a long gap we think our participation at the IMO council will allow Bangladesh to continue its sustained efforts not only to deliver on the mission of IMO to ensure maritime safety and security, environmental protection and the efficiency of shipping, but also take a leadership role in the IMO.”

“As you know, Bangladesh would be the only LDC candidate this year, and if elected, would amplify the voices of LDCs, Small Island Developing countries and Landlocked Developing Countries' interests at the IMO and Bangladesh would act as a bridge between the Developed and the Developing countries in the IMO,” Khalid went saying.

“If elected to the IMO council, as always, Bangladesh will remain deeply committed in advancing IMO's mission to ensure safe, secure and environmentally sustainable shipping and maritime trade mutual understanding and cooperation with all IMO Member States,” he furthered.

Through Bangladesh's foreign policy is, 'Friend to all, and malice towards none' and that's why Bangladesh is friend to every country in the IMO, added he.