Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers Association (BMMOA) organised a colorful rally in Chattogram city on the occasion of the UN-recognized 'World Maritime Day 2025'. This year's theme is - Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity.
Starting from Barik Building intersection in Chattogram on Thursday morning, the rally circled the main roads of the city.
The rally was attended by the organization's General Secretary Marine Engineer Md. Shakhawat Hossain, Senior Mariner Captain Md. Habibur Rahman and representatives of mariners, shipping companies, and maritime industry from different levels of the country. The participants highlighted various aspects of the maritime industry with banners and festoons.
The main objective of this rally was to raise public awareness about the contribution of the maritime industry to the country's economy, especially the important role of mariners. This was an effort to pay tribute to the country's 'blue economy' and sustainable maritime transport system.
BMMOA General Secretary Marine Engineer Md. Sakhawat Hossain said, "Our mariners are working tirelessly day and night to keep the wheels of the country's economy moving. The maritime sector is the backbone of international trade, transporting more than 80% of the world's goods, and our country's mariners are one of the driving forces of that trade."
He said, "Currently, Bangladesh's maritime sector earns about $1.75 billion in foreign exchange annually through shipping, shipbuilding, ship recycling yards and the employment of our seafarers on international ships. We can increase this income to $7 billion annually by resolving visa issues for seafarers, improving the financing and tax system for ship purchases, and introducing international standard policies for shipbuilding."
Captain Habibur said, "Such events not only raise awareness, but also strengthen unity and solidarity within our maritime community. The importance of sea routes is immense in ensuring the future economic growth of the country, and we hope that the government will give more importance to the development of this sector."
It is known that World Maritime Day was first celebrated in 1978 to mark the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Convention. Since then, the day has been celebrated on the last Thursday of September every year. The day focuses on the safety of shipping, maritime security and the importance of the marine environment.
