Secretary General of IMO is coming to Dhaka

Secretary General of International Maritime Organization (IMO) Antonio Dominguez Velasco is coming to Bangladesh tomorrow night (May 29). He is a citizen of Panama.

The Secretary General of IMO will pay tribute and lay wreath at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at number 32 Dhanmondi on Thursday (May 30).

Later, he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun and State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury.

He will give a speech to the officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at noon that day. In the afternoon he will visit the Directorate of Shipping. There he will be briefed about the Establishment of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System and Integrated Maritime Navigation System (EGIMNS) project.

Dominguez will inspect the operations of Chittagong Port on the morning of May 31. He will be briefed on the Vessel Traffic Management Information System (VTMIS), Maheshkhali LNG Terminal, Matarbari Deep Sea Port, Single Buoy Mooring and other ports. The Secretary General will visit the ship recycling yard in Chittagong that afternoon.

On June 1, the Secretary General will visit the Chittagong Marine Academy and will be briefed there on the maritime education system in Bangladesh. Cadets of Chittagong Marine Academy, Marine Fisheries Academy and National Maritime Institute will give him a 'guard of honour' at the parade ground of Chittagong Marine Academy. He will be felicitated by the graduate students of World Maritime University and International Maritime Law Institute. In the evening, there will be a cultural program organized in his courtesy in Dhaka. He will leave Dhaka for UK on June 2 (Sunday) morning.

IMO is the highest specialized organization on shipping of the United Nations. It works globally with responsibility for shipping safety, security and prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships. IMO supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. A prestigious body of 176 member states for decision-making in the global maritime industry and all regulatory financial, legal and technical cooperation between governments. The head office of IMO is located in London.

The current Secretary General was elected Secretary General of IMO in July 2023. He is the 10th Secretary General of IMO. It was approved at the 33rd session of the IMO in December 2023. His tenure started from January 1, 2024 and he will hold office till December 31, 2027. His visit to Bangladesh will brighten the image of the country in the international maritime sector. Bangladesh's opportunities will increase further in IMO. At present Bangladesh's acceptance in IMO has increased a lot.

It is to be noted that Bangladesh has won the category-'C' for the year 2024-2025 through the election of the IMO Executive Council on December 1 last year. Source: Bass

Bangladesh /FM