A blue economy moment we can’t miss

The typical discussion on maritime resources has long been tailored to exploring the huge potential of Bangladesh in this sector. A considerable time has passed since 2014, which may be taken as the reference point following maritime boundary delimitation, to effectively tap into these potentials. However, it is high time that we took a retrospective look at the accomplishments and identified the major shortcomings. 

Embedded Anomalies in Defining and Utilising Potential

Although there are overwhelming discussions on potential, there is still a dearth of comprehensive assessments of maritime resources, leading to data scarcity. Fisheries resources are perhaps the most familiar, as the livelihoods of coastal communities have depended on them for decades. However, marine fish catches have been signalling a downward trend. According to data from the Department of Fisheries (DoF), the lowest catch in nine years was recorded in FY 2023–24, with 628,622 tonnes of fish. This does not imply that fisheries resources are abundant; rather, unregulated and unreported fishing practices have led to a decline in fish stocks.

A recent survey reports that fish stocks in the Bay of Bengal have dropped by 80 per cent within a span of seven years due to overfishing and targeted fishing practices. This has resulted in a decline in large deep-sea fish stocks, in addition to alarmingly decreasing shallow-water stocks. The survey also indicated an abundance of tuna in the deep sea, which was confirmed by earlier surveys as well. However, deep-sea tuna fishing is virtually non-existent in Bangladesh, despite the confirmed presence of skipjack tuna—the most abundant commercial species globally—within the country’s EEZ.

The commercial viability of tuna fishing is often cited as the main obstacle in Bangladesh, but the export prospects of this resource are promising. This exposes an underlying dilemma in the sector, where one segment of resources is being overexploited while other segments remain almost unexplored. This situation depicts unsustainable resource management at all levels, where overall potential, untapped resources, and ecological damage are not being adequately assessed. This is a cyclical process, and at this stage, intervention is needed at all levels to prevent further damage and utilise the full potential in a sustainable manner.

Another important resource for a country’s survival and prosperity is its energy resources , for which the maritime domain is an important source. These are broadly categorised under the non-living maritime resources encompassing both renewable and non-renewable energy resources. For a country like Bangladesh, energy supply from maritime sources would have been vital in meeting the increasing demands of both households and industries. However, this sector is also overshadowed by the prospects of having huge potential in the maritime area of the country. In 2022, the potential presence of around 17–103 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas hydrate was announced. In 2024, a seismic survey also revealed the likely presence of large amounts of oil and gas in both shallow and deep waters of the Bay. It also underlined the similarity between the shallow waters of Bangladesh and Myanmar’s offshore area , where the latter has already started extracting gas.

The peril for Bangladesh in this case is that underground hydrocarbons know no geographical boundary and , therefore, the country exploring first from a transboundary offshore gas discovery will get the most out of it. Bangladesh’s activities in this regard are unfortunately very slow and the country is yet to attract International Oil Companies (IOCs) to explore its offshore blocks for hydrocarbons. In the face of growing LNG imports and volatility in the global energy supply chain, offshore resources could have been the country’s benchmark resilience against an energy crisis. The prospect immediately needs to be translated into proper utilisation and there is a long pathway resembling some notable stumbling blocks.

The Untapped Potentials: No Luxury to Maintain the Status Quo

The discussions on the blue economy potential of the country are obviously needed, but they largely generalise the potential on a global scale due to the lack of required comprehensive assessments of national capacity. If these outweigh the actions taken in this sector, then progress can hardly be traced. It is good to be amazed by the huge potentials the maritime domain holds for us, but it will not yield anything if we do not make the best use of them. Many of the aspects of our lifestyle, economy and industries can be sourced from maritime resources. The field of marine biotechnology explores the use of marine resources in sectors such as health, cosmetics, food, aquaculture and various industrial processes. There are sources of life-saving medicines to daily essentials such as food additives, paper, cloth, emulsifiers, gel, and skin-polishing materials in the sea.

Many of our traditional food habits can also be turned into healthier ones if we turn to items sourced from the sea. The recent survey discovered sixty-five new marine species in Bangladesh’s maritime area that had not been identified earlier. There are so many untapped areas in terms of our maritime resources that it almost leaves one confused as to where to start. In addition to hydrocarbons, the maritime domain is also a major source of renewable energy as the kinetic, potential, chemical or thermal properties of seawater can be transformed into power generation facilities. Oceans are also great sources of minerals for which a great deal of effort needs to be undertaken to identify the potential sources in the coastal area and under the sea, implying seabed mining.

Shifting the Paradigm of Perceiving Maritime Resources

In order to realise the full potential of Bangladesh in the maritime domain, there needs to be some fundamental shifts in how we perceive maritime resources. The metaphorical term ‘sea blindness’ best describes the phenomenon, as we are yet to turn the rhetoric of being a ‘maritime nation’ into reality. This explains the disconnect between the identification of potential and regularising it into the national economy, which is also dubbed the blue economy. The market economy of maritime resources is extremely important, since its dynamics will attract investments and generate a sustainable value chain. Failing to mainstream the ongoing initiatives in this sector and remaining stuck in land-centric ideas will further impede growth in this sector.

The maritime domain implies extensive inter-agency cooperation, for which Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is required. This concept entails a comprehensive understanding and coordination of responsibilities relating to the maritime domain, which would impact safety, security, the economy, and the marine environment. Keeping the maritime area under surveillance and properly governed is fundamentally different from traditional border management. Effective cooperation with neighbouring littoral states is also necessary, alongside robust national capacity to surveil the maritime area. The strategic connotation of maritime resources is often reserved for niche geopolitical aspects, but there are strong interlinkages between these issues.

Coordinating the Lead – A Far Cry

The required roadmap for the future necessitates a multi-pronged approach. It requires substantial investments, technological advancements, skills development, socio-cultural changes, and the list is far from exhaustive. However, in the absence of any effective coordination mechanism, there will be no progress in any aspect of the maritime domain. The twenty-six sectors of the blue economy identified in the context of Bangladesh require robust coordination among different government and non-government entities.

There is an important issue to be resolved in terms of leading the maritime affairs of the country. In practice, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock appears to be the most engaged, as fisheries resources have so far been prioritised among marine resources. The Ministry of Shipping is another important agency in terms of augmenting blue economy activities. A dedicated agency, named the ‘Blue Economy Cell’, has been established, involving different ministries. It was shifted from the Cabinet Division and later repositioned within the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. Given the nature of its work, it might be prudent to relocate it to the Ministry of Planning, as the ministry specialises in acting as the apex planning body.

The Bangladesh Navy and the Bangladesh Coast Guard are two important agencies, as they are engaged in almost every aspect related to the sea. Given the existing scenario among relevant stakeholders, it is not necessary to create a new overarching body to oversee all aspects of the maritime domain. Rather, effective coordination can be enforced by redesigning responsibilities among existing stakeholders.

There have been extensive suggestions and recommendations, in addition to efforts to decipher the potential of Bangladesh in utilising its maritime resources. Thus, potential and the suggestive narrative have dominated so far. It is high time the concerned agencies reviewed these recommendations and identified the mammoth tasks ahead. Without devising a roadmap or concerted coordination efforts, valuable resources may be expended on initiatives that are not aligned with national interests.

Nur Ahmed Research Officer, Strategic Studies Division at Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS). He can be contacted at: nur@biiss.org

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