The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Chittagong

Experts at a workshop in Chittagong yesterday underscored the need for enacting a comprehensive marine legislation by updating existing laws to protect the country's marine environment and ensure a safe maritime trade.

They said an explicit marine legislation is urgently needed against the backdrop of unabated sea pollution by many sources damaging marine environment and bio-diversity.

Bangladesh's progress, they said, was insignificant in reshaping the laws and full implementation of international provisions and conventions in past years though the country ratified various international conventions and codes for the protection of the marine environment.

The conventions include MARPOL (The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution by Ships-1973/1978), INTERVENTION (The International Convention relating to Intervention on the High Seas in cases of Oil Pollution Casualties, 1969) and OPRC (International Convention on Oil Spill Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990).

The national workshop on "Marine Pollution Legislation-2008" was held under the auspices of Component-4 (Shipping) of Bangladesh Trade Support Programme (BTSP), co-funded by the European Union and the Ministry of Commerce. It is aimed at pursuing a trade and economic reform agenda in line with WTO agreements.

The component-4 within the Ministry of Shipping aims at establishing an improved legal and regulatory framework related to maritime transport services and linkage to multi-mode transport services.

Abdul Malek, local consultant of the Component-4 of BTSP and former DG of Department of Shipping, Commodore AKM Alauddin, Chief Engineer and Ship Surveyor of the department, and Md Shafiqul Islam, Principal Officer of Mercantile Marine Department, among others, spoke at the inaugural session of the workshop. Hans-Martin Forsund, legal expert on marine pollution working with Component-4 of BTSP project, presented the key-note paper on the subject.

Stakeholders representing different public and private organisations in port and shipping sectors participated in the discussion.

Organisers said the objective of the workshop was to focus on different aspects of the draft marine pollution legislation and incorporate suggestions of the participants in the proposed law before finalisation.

Hans-Martin Forsund said currently only ocean going ships, not the coastal and inland vessels, are complying with the MARPOL requirements.

He said apart from improving the existing inappropriate legal set up in line with international conventions, Bangladesh could benefit if South Asian states work together under a common strategy to tackle the threat of rising sea pollution.

Abdul Malek said Bangladesh has to protect its marine environment and have a secure atmosphere for maritime trade for preserving huge natural resources in vast coastline and sea-bed including world's biggest mangrove forest, longest sea beach and also for the sake of health of millions of people living in the coastal areas.