DHAKA: Captain Moin Ahmed has been elected new Director General of International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO) under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The polls took place in the 23rd of the IMSO Assembly held at IMO Headquarters in London on November 25 to 28 in 2014.

He contested against candidates of France, Germany, Italy and Romania finally won with 49-37 votes.

Moin will replace the outgoing Director General, Captain Esteban Pacha-Vicente of Spain whose eight year tenure will end in 2015.

IMSO is an inter-governmental organization, constituting of 99 international member states, whose primary purpose is the oversight of certain public satellite safety and security communication services provided by mobile satellite.

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon had remarked for the assembly, “You have significantly contributed to connect the world, and by doing so, you have significantly contributed to a better world for future generations.”

IMO secretary-general Koji Sekimizu has congratulated Captain Moin Ahmed on his appointment as the new IMSO Director General.

This is for the first time in history, the organization elected a Director General from outside Europe. This is the first time in the 35 years history of IMSO that a candidate from a developing country has been elected in the position.

Captain Moin had a long seafaring career (1976-2004) from the rank of a Deck Cadet to Master Mariner in Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC); in the later part, he was posted ashore as the Executive Director (Technical).

He obtained his Certificate of Competency as Master Mariner from MCA, UK in 1985 and Master of Science in Maritime Affairs from World Marine University, Sweden in 1989.

BDST: 1537 HRS, APR 05, 2015

BD/RR/SMS