Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said there is a huge potential of maritime sector in South Asia and proper utilisation of maritime resources is very necessary for socioeconomic development.
Sheikh Hasina came up with the statement while addressing the inaugural function of the Second South Asia Maritime and Logistic Forum 2018 at Hotel Le Meridian in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon, reports BSS.
“We don’t think only about our own country, we also give importance to the socioeconomic development of all people of this region through regional cooperation and maintaining contact,” she added.
The Prime Minister said the government is working to improve navigability of the rivers and ensuring safe and secure river routes for transportation of people and goods.
“Initiatives were undertaken to dredge the rivers for maintaining navigability,” she said.
The Prime Minister expressed her optimism that her government will be able to adopt a time-befitting work plan in the maritime sector to ensure a modern, efficient and green transport system for Bangladesh
“I hope that we will be able to adopt a time-befitting work plan in the maritime sector to ensure a modern, efficient and green transport system for Bangladesh and low carbon strategy will be our prime concern so that climate change cannot harm the country,” she said.
The Ministry of Shipping in cooperation with the Colombo International Maritime Conference Events and India’s Gateway Media Pvt Ltd has organised the two-day event to attract investment in infrastructure and innovation of new technology in the shipping sector.
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Indian Union Minister for Shipping and Road Transport Mansukh Mandaviya, Sri Lankan State Minister for National Policy and Economic Affairs Dr Harsha De Silva, Editor-in-Chief of India’s Gateway Media Pvt Ltd Ram Prasad Ravi and Bangladesh’s Shipping Secretary Md Abdus Samad also spoke at the function.
A short audio-video presentation on Bangladesh’s maritime sector was screened at the function.