Eminent British experts and academics have highly praised Bangabandhu’s maritime vision, paying their highest tribute to the Bangladesh’s Founding Father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his birth centenary.
The Bangladesh High Commission, London in collaboration with the University of Portsmouth organised a Bangabandhu Birth Centenary public lecture titled "Sustainable Governance of the Bay of Bengal: Towards Bangabandhu's Golden Bengal Vision" on Monday.
President of the International Seabed Authority Rear Admiral Md Khurshed Alam delivered the keynote speech.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Saida Muna Tasneem made the opening remarks and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth Chris Chang gave the welcome speech at the virtual event, joined by a large number of British academics and entrepreneurs and members of British-Bangladeshi diaspora.
British Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh Javed Patel spoke on Bangladesh-UK blue-economy when Professor Pierre Failler, Director and Dr Mo Hoque, Senior Lecturer, Centre for Blue Governance of the University of Portsmouth made presentations on ‘Blue Ocean Economy’ and ‘Drinking Water Salinisation’ respectively.
Rear Admiral Md Khurshed Alam in his keynote presentation said, “Maritime vision was an integral part of Bangabandhu’s vision for Golden Bengal. He envisioned sustainable exploration and exploitation of marine resources as a driving force for poverty alleviation, ensuring food security, protecting environmental balance and mitigating adverse impacts of climate change.”
Alam called upon British entrepreneurs to invest in job-creating sectors like marine fisheries, marine aquaculture and coastal tourism; and proposed that Bangladesh and the UK should work together on finding the areas of mutual cooperation engaging private sectors.
High Commissioner Saida Muna Tasneem in her opening remarks said, “Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman enacted the Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act 74 to protect Bangladesh’s rights over marine resources; and his Golden Bengal Vision for the Bay of Bengal was sustainable use of ocean resources”.
The High Commissioner said, “Following Bangabandhu’s vision, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been relentlessly promoting a Blue Economy model for sustainable uses and management of vast oceans, seas and marine resources. Under her leadership, Bangladesh in 2001 ratified the UNCLOS-1982, lodged submission on the limits of Bangladesh’s outer continental shelf in the Bay of Bengal to the United Nations in 2011, resolved the delimitation of the maritime boundary with Myanmar in 2012 and with India in 2014; and gave its full support at the London CHOGM 2018 for implementation of the Commonwealth Blue Charter.
Javed Patel said the UK Government is working to develop a new Bangladesh Climate and Environment Programme, which will include three major initiatives for better protection of the Sundarbans mangroves, improving solid waste management systems and reduce effluent pollution to watercourses; and supporting the feasibility of harnessing wind power in the Bay of Bengal.
Paying the highest tribute to Bangabandhu, Chris Chang, Professor Pierre Failler and Dr Mo Hoque in their speeches expressed hope that the University of Portsmouth would be working more closely with the London High Commission on knowledge sharing and capacity building in the blue economy sectors.
