IMO election : Shipping & Labour Adviser Brig Gen Dr Sakhawat seeks support of member states

August 28, 2025, 12:50 am

Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh is contesting for membership in Category-C of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council for the 2026-27 term.

Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. M Sakhawat Hossain, Adviser to the Ministry of Shipping and Labour & Employment, has sought the support of IMO member states for Bangladesh in the upcoming election.

He made this appeal during a briefing on Wednesday at a hotel in the capital, addressing diplomats from various countries regarding the IMO Council election scheduled for December.

Highlighting Bangladesh as one of the world’s prominent maritime nations, the Shipping Adviser noted that, in addition to a deep-sea port under construction at Matarbari, Bangladesh has three seaports.trading ports. The country’s 54 inland river ports play a significant role in the shipping sector. Two-thirds of the population depends on the maritime sector in various ways. Moreover, Bangladesh exports locally-built ships abroad. The country has a strong presence in key international maritime issues. In this context, Bangladesh has announced its candidacy for Category-C membership in the upcoming IMO Council election to advance its maritime sector and contribute globally. During the briefing, he urged the support of various IMO member states for the election.

The Shipping Adviser emphasized that Bangladesh’s marine academies provide international-standard training and invited talented and skilled seafarers from various countries to train at these academies. He informed the diplomats about the potential of Bangladesh’s shipbuilding industry, noting that world-class ships are being constructed in the country’s shipyards.

He further stated that Bangladeshi seafarers are performing their duties with great reputation on ships across the world. Female seafarers from Bangladesh are also highly skilled and promising.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain welcomed the diplomats, stating that Bangladesh is strategically located in the Indo-Pacific region. Approximately 95 percent of Bangladesh’s trade occurs via sea routes. The current government is working to transform the maritime sector into a safe, environmentally friendly, and inclusive sector in the future. Bangladesh is leading globally in the ship recycling sector. He called on the diplomats to support Bangladesh in the upcoming IMO election.

Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Permanent Representative to the IMO, Abida Islam, said that Bangladesh holds a geopolitically significant position. The country has strong participation in the maritime sector and is working closely with the IMO to develop this sector. Bangladesh’s role in shaping international maritime policies is commendable. In the past, Bangladesh has been elected to the IMO Council and has made significant contributions to the global maritime sector. She expressed optimism that, if elected in the upcoming election, Bangladesh would continue to play a strong role in promoting safe maritime transport and intercontinental maritime trade.

Foreign Secretary Asad Al Siam made a passionate appeal for diplomats to support Bangladesh in the upcoming IMO election, stating that Bangladesh is committed to the development of the maritime sector for all IMO member states. He informed the diplomats about Bangladesh’s initiatives in environmental protection, climate change mitigation, IMO convention implementation, digitalization, and prevention of marine pollution.

Senior Secretary of the Shipping Ministry Mohammad Yusuf expressed gratitude to the attending diplomats, noting that a significant number of ships from around the world visit Bangladesh annually. He reaffirmed the country’s commitment to sustainable maritime development and expressed Bangladesh’s strong support for the IMO’s goal of a carbon-free future.

The briefing was attended by the Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs, Lutfe Siddiqui, the Chief Adviser’s Principal Secretary, M Siraj Uddin Mia, ambassadors and diplomats from various countries.