The government has formed a ‘Blue Economy Cell’ (BEC) in the last month and the Cell has started its operation formally from today. The Cell will be responsible for exploration, conservation, and sustainable collection and management of natural and mineral resources within the country’s territorial area of Bay of Bengal.
State minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Nasrul Hamid inaugurated the cell in a ceremony held at the Petro Centre situated at the Capital’s Kawranbazar area. Among others Energy and Mineral Resources Secretary Nazimuddin Chowdhury, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) chairman Abu Hena Md. Momin, Petrobangla Chairman Md. Fayzullah were present at the ceremony.
The BEC will be operated by a team comprising of top 25 officials from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division and Bangladesh Navy who have been appointed on deputation. Additional Secretary Golam Fakhruddin Ahmed Chowdhury was made the head of the cell.
State minister in his speech said that, the sea has enormous resources but, we don’t know much information about those resources. More and more surveys and studies should be conducted on the Bangladesh’s territorial area of Bay of Bengal. The BEC should help us consulting on how the survey should be conducted and selecting proper ship for seabed surveys, he said.
Nasrul Hamid also said that, the next two years would be very important for the government from the political perspective, the government has been planning to make some “visible success” in all the sectors. The urged the BEC officials to make it happen in the shortest possible time.
Secretary Nazimuddin Chowdhury said that, comparing to the huge area of the Bay of Bengal a cell is too small in terms of operation capacity. However, we may need to upgrade the BEC to a division to minimize the problem in the near future, he added.
Petrobangla chairman said that, the BEC should play the role of a coordinator as many of the government’s department are directly involved in surveys, studies, exploration, collection and management of the natural resources in our coastal water areas.
BPC chairman said that, marine areas are full of natural resources. Developed countries are already acquiring their desired resources from the sea floor and beneath the seabed. However, experts believe, there is a huge chance of hydrocarbons deposits both oil and gas under the Bay of Bengal. So the BEC should act strongly while assisting all other departments to find and collect those resources.