Welcome address of Mr. Hossain Khaled, President, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (DCCI) for the seminar on “Increasing Maritime Connectivity: Bangladesh
Business Prospects” organized by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI).
Date: Wednesday, 27 May, 2015,
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Venue: DCCI Auditorium
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
Mr. Shajahan Khan, MP, Honorable Minister, Shipping Ministry, GoB and the Chief
Guest of the seminar;
Major (Retd.) Rafiqul Islam (Bir Uttam), MP, Chairman, Parliamentary Standing
Committee of Jatiya Sangsad regarding the Shipping Ministry, Government of the
People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Special Guest of today’s seminar;
Discussants of today’s seminar:
(1) Professor Khabirul Haque Chowdhury, Chartered Engineer, Naval architect &
Transport Planner, Department of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering,
Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET);
(2) Mr. Mohammad Shahjahan Khan, Former President and Coordinating Director
of DCCI S/C on National Communication, Transportation and Infrastructure
Development and Port, Shipping and ICD/EPZ/SEZ-2015.
Key note Paper Presenter, Capt. A.K.M., Shafiqullah, Honorary Technical Advisor,
H.S. Group of Companies & Former Director General, Department of Shipping,
Ministry of Shipping, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh;
Distinguished Guests and Participants;
Representatives of the Media, both Print and Electronic;
Assalamu-Alaikum and Good afternoon to you all.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the Chief Guest, Special Guest,
distinguished guests, participants and media representatives for your kind presence in this
seminar organized by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI).
I am really glad to be here today in order to discuss some areas of collaboration and discover
some potential of new avenues and dimensions in order to promoting maritime connectivity
to enhance trade and business potentials.
Connectivity is the key for trade facilitation and economic development. In other words,
connectivity is the path toward prosperity. A vigorous connectivity enhances productivity,
augments trade, reduces costs of doing business and bolsters economic growth. Maritime
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connectivity is even more essential considering that maritime transportation is responsible
for 80 percent of global trade volume with no exception to Bangladesh. I am really glad
because both Government and policymakers realized the importance of increasing maritime
connectivity for regional cooperation among neighboring countries. Maritime connectivity
facilitates the regional cooperation which subsequently results into multiple positive impacts
on trade and economic growth.
Distinguished Guests,
Bangladesh’s geographical location between two major regions of Asia—South Asia and
Southeast Asia—provides a unique opportunity for the country to benefit from greater crossborder movement of goods and services, investment flows, and enhanced human contact.
Improved connectivity will enable Bangladesh to translate the potential opportunities to
benefit its economy and people through strengthened sub regional, regional and global
integration.
Bangladesh’s trade openness has significantly increased over the years with a reduction in
tariff peaks, tariff bands, and Para-tariffs. It is laudable that, Bangladesh’s trade with South
Asia and Southeast Asia has been on the rise since the early 2000s, and about 40% of total
trade currently takes place with these regions. Export share in GDP increased from 5.5% to
20.9% and import share increased from 11.3% to 26.4% from the year 1991 to 2013.
Indeed, the trade could have been more if Bangladesh had connected to the regional
connectivity much earlier.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to thank Hon’ble Prime Minister of People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Sheikh
Hasina on behalf of DCCI for the tremendous effort and leadership to settle maritime
boundary issues with the neighboring countries- India and Myanmar on Bay of Bengal.
19467 Sq. miles maritime border was realized from India and 111,000 Sq. kilometers from
Myanmar. This stance will have influential effect to improve bilateral relations with the
countries. Due to this maritime condition of the country, Bangladesh has the opportunity to
expand trade and business with India, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan and China as well as Sri
Lanka. However, to this end, Bangladesh needs to be well-connected to these countries.
The New Silk Road initiative by China will connect China to Eastern Europe. This one Belt,
One road–Economic Silk Road is actually the Chinese economic Express Train benefiting all
member countries. We can also give a thought to connect our maritime connectivity with the
maritime silk route of China to get connected with global economy in a greater extent.
Better and greater connectivity will enhance business growth of Tourism, Frozen foods and
Sea foods, Backward linkage industries and Shipbuilding sectors as well increase the trade of
other business. On the other hand, connectivity will definitively revive the trade volume,
reduce lead time for export, lower port turn around time and increase the container ship
movement as well as strengthen the maritime Supply Chain Management. To ensure these
trade growths, we need to work on building capacity of Chittagong port.
Hon’ble Guests,
The major seaport of Bangladesh is Chittagong, thus, connecting roads from port to
Chittagong and Dhaka needs to be improved. Mongla is the second largest sea port and it
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lacks the required container handling equipment. Connectivity of this port from other parts of
the country is weak. Since, Port development is the prerequisite for trade facilitation, we
urgently require to improve the capacity of port to make the trade process smooth, hassle-free
and transparent. Besides, it is evident that, we need tangible endeavor to develop a deep-sea
port in Sonadia or elsewhere since our Chittagong port lacks sufficient capacity to
accommodate the increasing business in near future in the event of increased Maritime
Connectivity as well reduce the cost of International trade using the new deep Sea port.
We meanwhile came to know China is investing $50 Billion in Railway connectivity between
Pakistan and China which would be linked to Myanmar too. This is going to be huge and
landmark event in boosting their regional trade. Could we look into this proposed Railway
connectivity to find any opportunity to connect for extending our regional trade and business
cooperation ahead.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am very much hopeful that, this session will help understand the business potentials for
Bangladesh with neighboring countries and the rest of the world through maritime
connectivity. I hope that, Government and Policy makers will take into account issues in this
regard and address accordingly for the betterment of our economic growth. I truly believe, we
will be able to harness our full potential when the true maritime axis will emerge.
Thank you all, again.
Mr. Hossain Khaled
President
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI)
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Excerpt from Jamuna TV on Marine Cadet
Now I would like to bring in the attention of our Hon’ble Chief Guest a crucial
and alarming issue of bright and talented young Marine Cadets of Bangladesh
who are deprived from having jobs in International Ships as being victim of
corruption of Government agency of Bangladesh which we came to know from
a report in Jamuna TV. As complaints have been piled and mounted to IMO
(International Maritime Organisation) by China, Singapore, Oman, Ecuador,
Hongkong, Brazil and other countries against the Bangladeshi Mariners
working in the International ships that most of the mariners are having
fraudulent Seaman Certificate and Continuous Discharge Certificate from the
relevant Government agency which severely damaged the reputation of
Bangladeshi cadets and Marine graduates.
I would request Hon’ble Minister to address this issue to revive the reputation of
Bangladesh Marine academy graduates and recover the image of our mariners
and marine professionals globally. Since our marine cadets can contribute a lot
to the growing capacity from the opportunities maritime connectivity in near
future.
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