Staff Correspondent 

Adviser to the Ministry of Shipping, Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. M. Sakhawat Hussain, has officially announced Bangladesh’s candidacy for Category 'C' membership of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council for the 2026–2027 term. 

The announcement was made on Monday, April 7, 2025, during a reception held at the IMO Delegates Lounge in London.

The event was attended by IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, ambassadors, permanent representatives from various countries, and representatives of IMO member states and international organizations. From Bangladesh, High Commissioner and Permanent Representative to IMO Abida Islam, Deputy High Commissioner Hazrat Ali Khan, Director General of the Department of Shipping Commodore Mohammad Maksud Alam, Counselor (Maritime Affairs) and Alternate Permanent Representative Captain Kazi A B M Shamim, and Counselor (Political) Maumita Zeenat were present.

The Shipping Adviser highlighted Bangladesh’s maritime heritage, its strategic location in the Indo-Pacific region, and its growing role in global trade. Each year, over 5,000 ships, including 95 ocean-going and more than 20,000 coastal vessels, visit Bangladesh’s ports. Reaffirming Bangladesh’s commitment to sustainable maritime development, he expressed strong support for IMO’s decarbonization goals and mentioned Bangladesh’s leadership in the ship recycling sector.

He also noted that Bangladesh contributes significantly to maritime safety, seafarer welfare, and gender inclusion, with over 21,000 trained seafarers, including more than 120 women.

As part of the event, the Shipping Adviser presented a model of a Bangladeshi replica ship to the IMO Secretariat. This is the first time since Bangladesh’s accession to IMO in 1976 that such a model has been placed at IMO headquarters at the initiative of the Shipping Adviser. The replica was built by Khulna Shipyard Limited, Bangladesh.

Dr. Sakhawat Hussain also met with the IMO Secretary-General in his office to discuss enhanced cooperation on environmentally friendly shipping, alternative fuels, and technology exchange.

Currently serving on the IMO Council for the 2023–2025 term, Bangladesh seeks continued support from member states in the upcoming election to help advance a safer, greener, and more inclusive maritime future. The Shipping Adviser firmly reiterated Bangladesh’s position in this regard.

He also showcased Bangladesh’s achievements, ongoing developments, and future plans on behalf of the country, including its efforts in environmental protection, combating climate change, implementation of IMO conventions, digitalization, and increasing women’s participation in the maritime sector.

Highlighting Bangladesh’s strong stance on preventing marine pollution, he shared plans to amend laws and make them stricter to curb river pollution caused by plastic waste.