Exploring the seas not just for adventure but for seeking sustainable means for economic uplift is gaining increased prominence, as many countries consider their territorial waters reservoirs of precious resources capable of doing miracles. Since Bangladesh's independence, no planned steps have been taken to exploit the potential of its oceanic resources or what is called the blue economy. To make the point more precise, exploring resources in the seas calls for investment in the first place, and Bangladesh has not as yet seriously contemplated on investing in this sector. This explains Bangladesh's failure to exploit the territorial sea waters as of now.
The picture is quite different in case of the neighbouring countries which are systematically at work on how best to capitalise on the blue economy, albeit through meaningful investment. Besides, substantial budgetary allocations for oceanographic and related research, India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar are working on long-term plans to be lucratively benefited from their sea waters. Decades of research have opened up for them newer prospects of exploration in a host of areas. Each of these countries has been procuring precious minerals such as zircon, ilemenite and magnetite from their sea waters, while Bangladesh is content with fishing and that, too, on a limited scale.
0ne pretext that the authorities in Bangladesh may resort to, is the absence of a detailed map of its maritime boundary that deterred taking up specific plans to explore and utilise sea resources. However, following the verdict on the long-standing maritime dispute with Myanmar at the international maritime court in 2012, the problem has been resolved to a great extent. Similar solution to the Bangladesh-India maritime boundary issue would further ease the prevailing difficulties. The 2012 maritime court verdict, to recall, has awarded Bangladesh ample opportunities to develop exclusive economic zone on a vast expanse of the Bay of Bengal. While this will facilitate oil and gas exploration, research on exploring mineral resources should equally be inspiring to motivate the authorities concerned.
Experts as well as the concerned authorities agree that while the range of fishing activities should be much more organised, exploratory research on a wide range of areas should also be strengthened. In order to set things in place, one vital requirement for which Bangladesh is clearly not well poised is the dearth of sufficient research and knowledge that should have grown from the academic circuit. The university curriculum, as the experts say, is too inadequate in this respect.
In this context, it is heartening to note that the government has, of late, decided to chart plans for proper utilisation of sea resources with a number of ministries involved in the task. At a recent inter-ministerial meeting, eight areas were prioritised to work on with support from, and coordination among, the relevant ministries. These, among others, include coastal communication, cargo transportation, fishing, procurement of minerals, energy security etc. Now, identifying the areas may look like a good move, but pursuing continuous work would obviously involve a clear mapping of the course of action ahead.
Exploring sea resources
FE Team | Published: April 01, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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