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Bangladesh has observed World Maritime Day 2026 with a renewed commitment to making its maritime sector safer, modern, technology-driven, environmentally friendly and internationally competitive.
The day was observed under the theme “From policy to practice: achieving excellence in the maritime sector” through a programme organised by the Department of Shipping under the overall supervision of the Ministry of Shipping.
President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman issued separate messages marking the day, according to a press release from the Department of Shipping.
In their messages, they stressed the need to harness the vast potential of Bangladesh’s seas, rivers and maritime resources by developing skilled human resources, modernising ports, strengthening regulatory systems and maritime security, protecting the environment, adopting digital technologies and ensuring compliance with international maritime regulations.
Shipping, Road Transport and Bridges and Railways Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam attended the programme as the chief guest at a hotel in Dhaka on Sunday. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Khondkar Misbah-ul-Azim was present as the special guest.
The shipping minister said the success of policies, plans and international commitments depended on their effective implementation.
“Ratifying international conventions or enacting laws alone is not enough. Their benefits must be ensured through safe ships, clean and modern ports, skilled seafarers, strong regulatory systems and sustainable maritime trade,” he said.
He stressed the modernisation and automation of Bangladesh’s ports, expansion of their capacity and reduction of cargo handling times. He also pledged to strengthen the Department of Shipping’s regulatory and inspection capacity and bring flag-state and port-state control activities up to international standards.
The minister said Bangladeshi seafarers were among the country’s most valuable maritime resources and strong representatives of the country abroad. He pledged continued investment in their welfare, training, certification and professional skills.
He also said coordinated initiatives would be taken to ensure the sustainable development of inland and coastal shipping, prevent river pollution and improve navigational safety.
Admiral Khondkar Misbah-ul-Azim highlighted the close link between maritime security and economic prosperity.
“Ports, maritime trade, fisheries, offshore resources and the development of the blue economy depend on a safe and stable maritime environment,” he said.
He called for stronger cooperation among relevant agencies in ensuring maritime security, information sharing and maritime domain awareness.
The programme was informed that Chattogram Port currently handles around 3.4 million TEUs of containers annually. The planned Matarbari Deep Sea Port is expected to play a key role in meeting an additional capacity requirement of around four million TEUs in the future.
The port, targeted to begin operations in 2029, will be capable of directly handling mother vessels of around 230 metres in length with a capacity of 8,000 to 10,000 TEUs. Officials said this would reduce transport time and logistics costs and strengthen Bangladesh’s position in regional and global supply chains.
Speakers also highlighted Bangladesh’s roughly 6,000 kilometres of inland waterways as an important economic and transport asset, stressing the need to develop a safe, environmentally friendly and technology-driven inland shipping system.
Shipping Ministry Secretary Zakaria, Department of Shipping Director General Commodore Md Shafiul Bari, senior government officials, port authorities, shipowners, shipping companies, ship-management and ship-recycling firms, maritime education and training institutions, seafarers and other stakeholders attended the programme.
