Shipping News

A Liberation War-era maritime leader and Ekushey Padak recipient, he helped set up the country's shipping and inland water transport institutions after 1971.

The Department of Shipping and the Bureau of Statistics counted all motorised sea, coastal and inland vessels from 20 to 29 August 2026 to build a national vessel database.

In February 2026 port staff opposing the planned lease of the New Mooring Container Terminal to DP World stopped pilotage on 3 February and began an indefinite strike on 8 February.

In mid-January 2026 nearly double the usual number of mother ships were waiting, many with food cargo, while only 59 lighter vessels were allocated at one berthing meeting.

The NBR's April 2026 Time Release Study of about 3,200 bills of entry found post-declaration stages now take 5.8 days, double the 2022 figure, even as filing became faster.

The 250-metre Aframax tanker owned by MJL Bangladesh, built by Korea's Daehan Shipbuilding and part-financed by a $95.77m BRAC Bank loan, began its first voyage on 31 March 2026.

The country has joined the Civil Liability Convention, the Bunker Convention and the Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention.

The state carrier bought two 63,700-dwt ultramax bulkers for a combined $76.7 million, and has separately pursued a return to feeder container shipping.