Speakers at a discussion have urged authorities concerned to bring cultivation of seaweeds under the purview of the Ministry of Fisheries from the Ministry of Agriculture.
They also underscored the need for adopting fish forecasting technology to generate employment in aquaculture.
The demand were made a discussion on ‘Potential of Blue Economy in Transforming Future Bangladesh’ at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in Khamarbari area of Dhaka on Saturday, reports BSS.
Bangladesh Agricultural Economists Association (BAEA) arranged the discussion with its President and Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office Sajjadul Hasan in the chair.
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.
The participants demanded sufficient cooling facilities to avoid post harvest loss of fisheries, dredging on the hilsa routes and modern fishing devices.
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.
Prime Minister’s International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi addressed the programme, among others.
Gowher Rizvi stressed on conducting research and developing skilled manpower aiming to reap the optimum benefits from the emerging ‘blue economy’ of the country.
“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.
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.
In the power point presentation, Rear Admiral (retd) Md Khurshid Alam described the Bay of Bengal as the third neighbour.
He 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.