Prime Minister’s International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi today stressed conducting research and developing skilled manpower aiming to reap the optimum benefits from the emerging ‘blue economy’ of the country, BSS reported.
“We need to give more importance on research and knowledge. We have made great strides…we want to fully utilise the opportunities (blue economy). Without research, without building human resource capacity, without developing skills, we will not be able to do that,” he said.
Dr Rizvi was addressing a discussion on ‘Potential of Blue Economy in Transforming Future Bangladesh’ at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in the city’s Khamarbari area.
Bangladesh Agricultural Economists Association (BAEA) arranged the discussion with its President and Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office Sajjadul Hasan in the chair.
Secretary (maritime affairs unit) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam made a powerpoint presentation while BAEA Secretary General Prof M Kamruzzaman also spoke at the discussion.
Rizvi said all the concerned stakeholders need to work in an integral way to unlock the true potential of the blue economy and the ocean, adding that following the maritime boundary verdict over Myanmar and India, the size of Bangladesh has almost doubled including the marine areas.
“Ocean is offering its bounty to us and we must find out a way of accepting that bounty,” he added.
Rizvi also noted that opening up of the blue economy has given the countrymen a new hope of the opportunities of doing things, which they could not even dream even 10 years back.
The PM’s Adviser put emphasis on creating a supra-structure which will be able to coordinate the management of blue economy.
“Unless, you will be able to do that, I don’t believe we will be able to avail the maximum advantage,” he said.
Rizvi also put emphasis on focusing more on domestic tourism through creating a strong domestic base of tourism.
Speaking on the occasion, Professor Emeritus Sattar Mondol stressed deepening academic engagement, boosting research activities, reorientation of the Ministry of Fisheries on blue economy aspects and engaging private sector to avail the opportunities of the blue economy.
Marine scientists, researchers and scholars from the University of Dhaka and Bangladesh Agricultural University, and representatives from the Ministries of Fisheries and Livestock, Shipping, Energy and Mineral Resources, Civil Aviation and Tourism took part in the discussion.
In his powerpoint presentation, Rear Admiral (retd) Md Khurshid Alam termed the Bay of Bengal as the third neighbour and highlighted some of the aspects of blue economy like marine aquaculture, blue biotechnology, marine genetic resource, maritime transport shipping, coastal shipping, and introduction of long-line fishing, cruise line tourism, offshore wind energy and seabed mining.
He said blue economy is the only long-term strategy to attain sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sectors as a whole. “Although blue biotechnology is an important component of this, it is inextricably linked to other economic activities in the marine space, including shipping, tourism and conventional fisheries.”
Mentioning that gas hydrate could be a future source of energy in Bangladesh, he said India has already explored this and Bangladesh needs to carry out research to tap this huge potential.
Noting that there is scarcity of skilled manpower in the country to harness the potential of blue economy, Alam said there is a need to groom skilled oceanographers in the country to unlock the marine potential.
Speakers and participants at the discussion underscored the need for adopting fish forecasting technology, unlocking the true potential of aquaculture to generate employment, ensuring sufficient cooling facilities to avoid post harvest loss of fisheries, conducting dredging on the hilsa routes, bringing seaweeds under the purview of the Ministry of Fisheries from the Ministry of Agriculture and ensuring the use of modern fishing devices.