From Delta to Destiny: Bangladesh’s Blue Nation Awakens

Since March 17, 1978, countries around the world have celebrated World Maritime Day. For Bangladesh, however, the largest delta, formed by the Himalayas, tides, rivers, and monsoon winds—a region where a single day of flags and speeches isn't enough—carries deeper significance. The post-Monsoon revolution of 2024, when political, social, and environmental forces brought the sea back into the national spotlight, has made the 2025 celebration more than just a routine event; it has become a necessity. It serves as a reminder that the ocean is not only our neighbor but our lifeline—a source of connection, resources, trade, food, culture, and security. The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) theme this year, “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity,” should be viewed not merely as a slogan but as a motivating framework for continued action through increased connectivity, strategic planning, institutional reform, scientific research, and a renewed maritime heritage that listens to maritime subalterns.

This essay explores three main themes. First, Bangladesh’s maritime heritage and dependence are undervalued in national strategies, even though most of our trade, food, and livelihoods rely on the sea. Second, the post-Monsoon revolution of 2024 has created both urgency and opportunity to prioritize the maritime sector in national policy and long-term development plans. Third, to respond to the IMO’s call, Bangladesh must transform ceremonial observance into sustained investments in marine research, port resilience, sustainable fisheries—especially marine and deep-sea fisheries—and innovation that blends stewardship with the sustainable use of sea resources for economic growth.

The Undeniable Geography: Coast, Ocean, and Sovereign Rights

On charts, Bangladesh’s coastline seems modest. In truth, it is a complex and productive area. Our 750-kilometer coastal zone includes mangroves, estuaries, and islands where millions make their living. Beyond that lies our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)—118,813 square kilometers—where Bangladesh holds sovereign rights over both living and non-living resources. While exact resource data vary, all credible estimates emphasize the size and potential of these resources.

The EEZ is more than just a statistic. It provides a legal and tangible foundation for fisheries, offshore energy, renewable projects, and seabed minerals. It also acts as a strategic frontier and a geopolitical tool in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific region. The IMO’s 2025 theme, which links obligation with opportunity, reflects Bangladesh’s dual challenge: safeguarding fragile ecosystems threatened by climate change, including sea level rise (SLR), while responsibly utilizing resources to support prosperity.

Maritime Dependence: Trade, Food, and Livelihoods

Bangladesh is a maritime trading nation. Over 90 percent of our international trade moves through the sea, mainly via Chattogram, Mongla, and the newer Payra Port. Chattogram remains the primary gateway; it recently set records in container handling, moving over 3.2 million TEUs in FY 2024–25. However, such reliance is a double-edged sword. A disruption at this single hub — whether caused by cyclone, infrastructure failure, or political unrest — could send shockwaves through the entire economy.

The ocean also supports us. Marine and coastal fisheries — from wild fishing to aquaculture — remain essential for food security, jobs, and exports. The sector makes up about 2.5–3 percent of the national GDP and roughly a quarter of agricultural GDP. Bangladesh is fifth in the world for aquaculture, second in freshwater fish production, and first in hilsa catches. These achievements are important; they help millions of rural and coastal families. Protecting and strengthening this sector is therefore both an economic and moral responsibility.

The Post-Monsoon Revolution of 2024: Turning Point in the Tide

The monsoon has always been vital to Bangladeshi life. However, the upheavals of 2024 — a strange mix of political changes and climate shocks — shook the nation. Coastal flooding, new storm patterns, visible dieback of Sundarbans mangroves, and declining fish catches conflicted with growing frustration among coastal communities. Their calls for rights and resilience need to break through years of complacency.

Politically, hopes that the caretaker government would deliver justice and accountability after years of misrule gradually faded into disappointment. Reform moved too slowly, and citizens became disillusioned. The revolution’s promise of change seemed unfulfilled.

Two outcomes became clear. First, long-standing weaknesses were exposed. Ports needed urgent upgrades, maritime research remained underfunded, and policymaking in fisheries, shipping, energy, and environmental sectors stayed disconnected. The need for coordination in the blue economy was highlighted. Second, international interest grew. Regional powers, foreign navies, and investors increasingly focused on the Bay of Bengal, drawn by energy opportunities, sea lanes, and fisheries. With opportunity came risk: Bangladesh had to carefully manage new partnerships while safeguarding its sovereignty and national interests. The revolution, therefore, served both as a warning and an opportunity. It emphasized the dangers of neglect and highlighted the potential of a maritime future.

Heritage as Strategy: Employing Memory as a Policy Instrument

Bangladesh’s maritime history is frequently relegated to riverine Bangladesh through folklore: river songs, boatbuilding crafts, and memories of Ancient River trade from within. Yet embedded in that heritage is operational knowledge — tidal rhythms, shipbuilding skills, maritime trade beyond the Bay of Bengal, ecological insight, and migratory fish cycles. Reviving and integrating this indigenous wisdom can strengthen negotiation skills and influence modern policy formulation.

In this context, three steps can be considered. First, maritime education: school, university, and madrasa curricula in coastal districts should include ocean literacy, disaster awareness, and ecology. Second, blue-tech incubation: supporting boat builders and small fisheries with low-carbon engines, fish-friendly gear, and sustainable aquaculture techniques. Third, maritime diplomacy: using maritime heritage narratives to build a national maritime identity, ensuring that ocean stewardship feels like a shared duty, not an elite agenda.

Science, Innovation, and Research: Public Goods for a Blue Nation

While heritage provides identity, science supplies tools. Bangladesh’s capacity for marine scientific research needs to expand in at least three areas.
Oceanographic and climate science: tracking SLR, salinity, and storm surges to guide adaptation strategies.

Fisheries research and aquaculture R&D: developing sustainable stock assessments, selective gear, and climate-resilient aquaculture.

Maritime domain awareness (MDA): expanding coastal radar systems, AIS networks, and satellite collaborations to improve safety, detect illegal fishing, and manage data responsibly.

Such research is a public good that cannot be funded solely by private finance. It calls for national dedication, regional collaborations, and donor coordination within a consistent strategy.

Ports and Infrastructure: The Arteries of Resilience

Ports are more than trade gateways; they are arteries of national survival. Chattogram’s heavy burden — handling over 90 percent of containerized trade — is unsustainable as a single point of dependence.

National policy should prioritize hinterland connectivity by diversifying port-related trade through Mongla and Payra, enhancing climate resilience, expanding digital infrastructure, and strengthening inland waterways for multi-modal resilience. Funding should include public funds, development banks, and carefully regulated private investments. Simultaneously, regional port cooperation without losing focus on the national interests can serve as a backup capacity during crises.

Geopolitics and Geostrategy: Navigating the Bay of Bengal

The Bay of Bengal is no longer just a peripheral area; it has become a key strategic high ground in the Indo-Pacific. Critical sea routes, undersea cables, seabed energy resources, and maritime security draw competing powers. For Bangladesh, the challenge is to maintain strategic independence—preserving neutrality while actively engaging.

From a practical perspective, a three-pronged approach seems essential. First, defensive diplomacy: uphold UNCLOS principles, maintain clear maritime boundaries, and participate in regional forums like BIMSTEC and IORA. Second, promote cooperative security by building trust through joint naval exercises focused on HADR and IUU fishing monitoring, among other activities. Third, develop capacity partnerships: pursue training, technology, best practices, and infrastructure support from diverse partners to avoid reliance on a single source. Diplomatic flexibility, legal clarity, and operational readiness should form the foundation of Bangladesh’s maritime strategy.

The Geoeconomic Prize: Blue Economy Beyond Rhetoric

The phrase “blue economy” should not be used as jargon; instead, policy formulation and implementation plans should be more than just paperwork. For Bangladesh, it should represent real progress in several areas. Some examples are listed below.

Fisheries value chains: developing cold storage, processing, and marketing to retain more value at home.

Ship repair and maritime services: promoting local yards and vocational skills to tap regional demand.

Marine biotechnology and seabed exploration: investing in innovation while ensuring transparency and environmental safeguards.
Nature-based climate assets: restoring mangroves and wetlands for carbon credits and storm protection.

If approached with discipline, each of these areas can generate jobs, exports, and climate resilience while reinforcing stewardship.

Beyond a Day: Making World Maritime Day Matter

Commemorations are essential because they raise awareness, bring organizations together, and shape public narratives. However, there is a risk of them becoming a meaningless routine. To make sure World Maritime Day promotes continuous progress, Bangladesh should adopt the practical approaches listed below.

 An annual Maritime Action Plan is launched on World Maritime Day and is updated quarterly with measurable targets.

An open-to-the-public National Ocean Data Portal is updated yearly.

Maritime education weeks in coastal districts are connected to vocational scholarships and startup grants.

Blue Bonds pilots to fund coastal restoration and resilient infrastructure with strict transparency.

A national award that recognizes excellence in community conservation and maritime research.

Such measures transform ceremony into accountability and symbolism into continuity.

Likely Risks to Watch Out For

While ambition and investment are crucial for Bangladesh’s maritime future, progress without caution can have adverse effects. The initiatives aimed at protecting and growing the blue economy come with risks that need to be recognized and addressed. Four expected challenges should be considered:

Over-exploitation of marine resources – prioritizing short-term revenue over sustainability can degrade ecosystems and threaten long-term livelihoods.

Vague contracts and agreements—poorly negotiated deals with foreign or private actors could weaken national sovereignty and strategic interests.
Excessive enforcement – an overemphasis on control may marginalize coastal communities whose knowledge and labor are essential for sustainable management.

Dependence on foreign technology – relying on imported solutions without domestic skill transfer risks creating long-term dependency and restricting local innovation.

The solution includes justice, strong governance, clear legal frameworks, and active civil society oversight. Strong governance cannot exist without fair justice. By focusing on accountability and local participation at all levels, Bangladesh can lower these risks and build a resilient, prosperous maritime sector.

Conclusion: From Delta to Destiny—Stewardship with Vision

On celebrating this year’s World Maritime Day, as the IMO reminds us that the ocean is both a responsibility and an opportunity, Bangladesh faces a clear choice. We can remain caught in short-term neglect or choose to lead with ambition. That path involves investing in research, climate resilience, and digital-proofing our ports, conserving fisheries, strengthening maritime law and data systems, and developing a maritime strategy that protects our sovereignty while promoting shared prosperity.

The story of the Bay of Bengal has always been very close to our hearts. The time has come to tell it repeatedly to shape our future. By translating heritage into policy and policy into a sustainable strategy for prosperity, Bangladesh will rise as an unstoppable, developed, and confident blue nation. World Maritime Day should therefore not be the end of reflection, but the start of renewal — a pledge to write a blue destiny to explore, protect, and celebrate the sea every day of the year.


Syed Misbah Uddin Ahmad is a 
retired officer of Bangladesh Navy.