The Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies (CBoBS) of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ankara University’s National Center for the Sea and Maritime Law (DEHUKAM) on August 8, 2025, in a virtual ceremony connecting Dhaka and Ankara.
The agreement aims to enable collaborative research, academic exchanges, and policy initiatives linking Bangladesh’s maritime expertise with international leadership.
Prof. M. Tamim, Vice Chancellor of IUB, and Dr. Mustafa Başkara, CEO of DEHUKAM, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective sides. The MoU outlines joint research projects addressing maritime challenges, faculty and student exchanges, technical knowledge sharing, and policy development initiatives.
The collaboration focuses on scalable solutions in ocean governance and maritime law, with a framework for sustained academic and operational engagement between the two institutions.
Prof. Tamim described the MoU as a step towards active collaboration in sustainable ocean governance and maritime law, underlining the importance of tangible outcomes through partnership beyond formal agreements.
Dr. Mustafa Başkara highlighted DEHUKAM’s expertise in maritime law, policy, and marine spatial planning with a team of over 24 senior researchers, and emphasized the importance of the MoU for joint research, training programs, and resource sharing with CBoBS.
Ambassador Tariq Karim, Advisor to CBoBS, highlighted the historical ties between Bangladesh and Turkey, dating back centuries. He emphasized the importance of active partnerships that deliver outcomes. underscored both nations’ roles as “bridge nations” with a shared responsibility to uphold maritime peace, trade, and the rule of law.
Rear Admiral Md. Khurshed Alam (Retd), Director of CBoBS, noted his 1997 naval training in Turkey and emphasized the potential for capacity building, knowledge exchange, and operational maritime research, citing Bangladesh’s maritime trade and Turkey’s strategic location as bases for cooperation.
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