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The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) is set to conduct the country’s first-ever Vessel Census 2026 to collect information on all motorised vessels operating in Bangladesh’s maritime, coastal and inland waters.
The main field-level data collection will take place nationwide from August 20 to 29.
The census aims to address the lack of reliable statistics on the vessel sector, create a comprehensive database and help modernise and improve the safety of the country’s water transport system.
The BBS, under the Statistics and Informatics Division, and the Department of Shipping under the Ministry of Shipping are jointly implementing the initiative. Training for census coordinators at the divisional, district and upazila levels began on Tuesday at the Statistics Building auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka.
State Minister for Shipping Md Rajib Ahsan chaired the event, while State Minister for Planning Zonayed Saki attended as the chief guest. Senior officials from the Statistics and Informatics Division, BBS and the Department of Shipping were also present.
According to BBS officials, inland water transport is a crucial part of Bangladesh’s communication and economy, but the country has long lacked comprehensive and reliable statistics on the number, types and other details of vessels operating in its waters.
The census will collect information on motorised vessels operating in maritime, coastal and inland waters. The data will be used to create a comprehensive vessel database.
BBS said the database could serve as an important foundation for future planning, management and development of the water transport sector while also supporting vessel management and safety measures. Technology will play a key role in the census. Field enumerators will collect information using tablets through the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) method.
A web-based Integrated Census Management System (ICMS) will be used to coordinate and manage the census. It will enable authorities to monitor field-level data collection and take necessary management measures. The progress of data collection will also be monitored in real time through a Network Operations Centre (NOC) at the BBS headquarters.
The quality of collected data will also be monitored directly. A dedicated control room and IT support team will provide technical assistance during field-level data collection.
Authorities said the system would allow them to address any problems encountered by enumerators promptly. BBS and the relevant authorities have already completed several preparatory activities ahead of the main census. A listing and mapping operation was conducted from May 4 to 17, followed by a zonal operation from July 9 to 14 and a pilot operation on August 3 and 4.
These activities included delineating enumeration areas, recruiting enumerators and preparing maps. The pilot operation was also used to assess field-level preparedness ahead of the main census.
The Department of Shipping and BBS signed a memorandum of understanding on August 21, 2025, to establish the vessel database. Authorities will conduct awareness campaigns to inform vessel owners, relevant stakeholders and the general public about the census. Alongside traditional media, social media and other online platforms will also be used for publicity.
BBS expects the census to play an important role in providing accurate and updated information on Bangladesh’s water transport sector. The main data collection will run from August 20 to 29, after which the collected information will be verified, analysed and processed to develop a reliable statistical picture of the country’s vessel sector.