Two new marine protected areas, at Kuakata and Salimpur, have been declared by gazette notification, bringing Bangladesh’s total to seven, Bangladesh Post reported on 20 October 2026 in an overview of government blue economy initiatives.
The Department of Fisheries has drafted High Seas Fishing Guidelines, 2026, covering licensing, catch reporting, transhipment, traceability and enforcement for Bangladesh-flagged vessels fishing beyond the exclusive economic zone, as well as draft guidelines on sustainable crab production and a draft National Mariculture Policy. The current budget allocates Tk 200 crore for blue economy research and development, including Tk 100 crore for a Blue Economy Research Fund, and the government aims to raise fisheries exports to $1 billion by 2030 from about $450 million in FY2024-25.
On offshore energy, Petrobangla chairman Abdul Mannan said bids had been invited for all 26 offshore blocks under a relaxed framework. At a seminar on 12 October organised by Independent University, Bangladesh, State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki said marine resources must contribute significantly to GDP if Bangladesh is to reach a trillion-dollar economy by 2034, and noted that the Prime Minister’s Office has a Blue Economy Cell.
Source
- Bangladesh Post: “Govt steps up efforts to unlock Bangladesh’s blue economy” (20 October 2026)
- The Business Standard (UNB): “Bangladesh must tap marine resources to achieve $1 trillion economy by 2034: Saki” (12 October 2026)
File photo: Kuakata sea beach. Photo: Yahya / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This article was prepared by Maritime News BD from the report(s) and documents listed above; it was not independently reported by Maritime News BD.
