Staff Correspondent

The Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) and the Department of Shipping (DoS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday morning to strengthen inter-institutional cooperation, enhance maritime safety, protect the marine environment, and bolster search and rescue (SAR) operations in Bangladesh's territorial waters.

The agreement was signed at the Coast Guard Headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, by Rear Admiral Md. Ziaul Haq, Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard, and Commodore Md. Shafiul Bari, Director General of the Department of Shipping, on behalf of their respective organizations.

Following the signing ceremony, both agency heads addressed reporters, highlighting that maritime shipping remains a vital sector for Bangladesh's economic development. Given the country’s extensive coastline, strategically vital sea lanes, busy seaports, and inland waterways, effective administrative and operational alignment between key state agencies is crucial for ensuring law enforcement and maritime safety.

The MoU establishes a structured, operational framework between the Department of Shipping—the regulatory Maritime Safety Administration operating under the Ministry of Shipping—and the Bangladesh Coast Guard, a primary maritime law enforcement agency operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs. While operating under distinct ministerial jurisdictions, the two bodies share aligned responsibilities regarding vessel safety, marine pollution prevention, and emergency disaster response.

Under the framework of the signed memorandum, both agencies will collaborate on coordination & Alignment: Clearly defining operational roles and technical duties across both administrative and field domains.

Facilitating real-time technical data sharing and operational information exchange.
Compliance with IMO Mandates: Coordinating efforts to enforce international maritime conventions, including SOLAS, MARPOL, ISPS Code, and the SAR Convention.

Undertaking joint actions to prevent vessel-sourced marine pollution and safeguard ecological zones.

Enhancing joint operational capabilities for life-saving and asset-protection operations at sea.

Conducting joint training exercises, specialized workshops, emergency response drills, and regular compliance reviews.
Maintaining unified documentation and implementation evidence required for International Maritime Organization (IMO) audits.

Senior officials from both the Ministry of Shipping and the Bangladesh Coast Guard attended the event.