Bangladesh won the 175-member International Maritime Organization (IMO) council election 2023 held on Friday afternoon in London in the IMO headquarters in category C, securing 128 votes.

This is for the first time Bangladesh has won the election in the highly competitive category C of the IMO.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK and Permanent Representative to the IMO Saida Muna Tasneem said, “Bangladesh’s election to the International Maritime Organisation’s elite 40-member council is a testimony of the confidence and trust that the IMO member states and the International  Maritime Community places on Bangladesh’s leadership as a maritime nation and action led by the prudent leadership of our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”

The High Commissioner expressed her gratitude to the IMO members for electing Bangladesh as a Council member and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to IMO’s charter of actions for dealing with the Maritime, said the Bangladesh High Commission, London.

She also expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Shipping of Bangladesh and specially thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her bold decision to compete in the IMO council election in 2023.

Earlier, Saida Muna Tasneem was elected by consensus Vice President of the 33rd assembly of the IMO during which the election took place.

IMO is the only UN specialised body regulates global shipping standards that affects ship operating flag states, seafarers and maritime safety security and marine pollutions.

Bangladesh’s international trade of which 90% is operated by the sea,  and transition of Bangladesh’s maritime ports into green, digitalised  and smarter ports and Bangladesh’s compliance with the Hong Kong convention on ship recycling usage of greener fuels by Bangladesh vessels and other critically important issues to Bangladesh’s shipping and maritime industry are some of the key issues that Bangladesh would be negotiating at the IMO council during the term 2024-25.

BDST: 10004 HRS, DEC 02, 2023
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