The Maheshkhali Integrated Development Authority (Mida) is intensifying its efforts to attract investment in Bangladesh’s fisheries and marine economy. They have identified four key sectors and are planning further engagement with investors and relevant government agencies.
During a seminar on “Investment Potential in Fisheries and Marine Economy in Bangladesh” held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka, Mida, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) Bangladesh, discussed the importance of deep-sea fishing, mariculture, aquaculture, and shrimp, and seafood processing as sectors with high potential in Bangladesh.
The seminar emphasized investment prospects in areas such as industrial fishing fleets, offshore operations, mariculture, certified shrimp value chains, cold-chain infrastructure, and modern seafood processing facilities. Mida Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury highlighted the significant potential in Bangladesh’s marine economy but stressed the need for a clear pathway from opportunity to implementation for investors.
Ashik mentioned that Mida has been working towards guiding Bangladesh to become a prominent fishing exporting nation. He assured that the government is committed to addressing investors’ challenges by coordinating efforts across ministries. Mida aims to align policies and create an integrated investment package to meet the private sector’s requirements.
Following the seminar, Mida plans to develop a pipeline of investor interest based on expressions of intent from private-sector actors and development finance institutions. They will also address policy and regulatory obstacles through engagement with relevant ministries and continue collaborating with Jica on technical assistance and investment facilitation in the fisheries sector.
Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam, a maritime expert, discussed investment opportunities in Bangladesh’s blue economy, suggesting that the country could potentially double or triple its current $6 billion revenue from marine resources through sustainable ocean resource exploitation. Additionally, Takahashi Naoki from the Embassy of Japan highlighted the Japan-Bangladesh Economic Partnership Agreement as a crucial step for enhancing trade, investment, and economic cooperation between both nations.
The fisheries and marine economy in Bangladesh offer not only traditional strengths but also promising opportunities for investment, export diversification, and regional development. Various stakeholders, including policymakers, government officials, industry leaders, and investors, gathered at the seminar to explore ways to attract higher-value investments in Bangladesh’s fisheries and marine economy.
