**4. Present status of responsible national organizations in Bangladesh**

Enacting enabling legislation nationally is vital, but implementing domestic legislation remains the major challenge. Indeed, several institutions are responsible for protecting the marine environment of Bangladesh. The Ministry of Shipping (MoS) is the lead ministry, and the Department of Shipping (DoS) is the lead agency dealing with vessel-source pollution. This department is aided by several subordinate offices under its administrative control, including the mercantile marine department, marine academy, government shipping office, and seamen's training school [51]. The ports of Bangladesh, Chittagong, and Mongla were established by a different law and treated as autonomous bodies. Other institutions like the coast guard, DoE, and Bangladesh Navy (BN) are entrusted with respective responsibilities to protect the marine environment. Besides the association of social development, the Bangladesh


#### **Table 2.**

*Key government agencies involved in the prevention of marine pollution.*

Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), the Center for Environmental Studies and Disaster Management, the Centre for Environmental Studies and Research, and Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna Universities, and Bangladesh Agriculture universities are also engaged in marine environmental research, monitoring and enforcement opportunities (**Table 2**) [52].

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) ensures a sustainable environment and optimum forest coverage through ecosystem and biodiversity conservation; controlling environmental pollution; addressing climate change; research, floristic survey, and developing forest resources. Section 3 of the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995, establishes the DoE. The headquarters of the environment department is currently organized into two main functional areas 'Administration, Planning and Development, and 'Technical' [53]. A director heads each, and there is a lack of knowledge or professionalism regarding marine environment protection. They have no data or do not provide proper knowledge regarding the current status of marine pollution and their mitigation steps.

The MoS is the highest governmental institution in Bangladesh to implement IMO Conventions in Bangladesh. The ministry encompasses within its fold shipping and port sectors, including national waterways, inland water transport, ports, and ocean shipping, and oversees the safety and environmental matters and the regulatory aspects of maritime shipping and maritime education. The ministry is responsible for formulating policies and plans for these subjects and facilitating the quick implementation of various projects. Besides, this ministry also cares about maintaining and expanding viable, efficient, and dependable water transportation and communication systems as the cheapest way of economic activities in rural and urban areas. The DoS is an agency under the MoS, Bangladesh. Bangladesh's maritime safety administration is responsible for formulating and implementing the national policies and

**Figure 1.** *Organization under the Ministry of Shipping.*

legislation to ensure the safety of life and ships at Sea, development of the shipping industry, maritime education and certification, employment and welfare of seafarers, and other shipping-related matters. The department is also responsible for ensuring compliance with international conventions relating to maritime matters (**Figure 1**).

Bangladesh Oceanographic Research Institute (BORI) has started its journey at Cox'sbazar under the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) for all types of oceanographic research, including environmental impact assessment and oil-spill risk assessment. A law named 'Oceanographic Research Institute of Bangladesh 2015' (Act No. 7 of 2015) has been passed in the parliament. This act provides for the creation of the Bangladesh Oceanographic Research Institute. It establishes the composition, duties, and responsibilities of the Institute mentioned above, entitled to undertake the research and disseminate related information results and activities of all concerned operations, management, and control of the Bangladesh oceanographic sector. Chittagong and Mongla seaport is considered the center of the economy of Bangladesh. Both port authorities were established under the Chittagong and Mongla Port Ordinance 1976, amended in 1995. Recently, the Chittagong port authority initiated Environment Management Unit (EMU), which will focus on protecting the marine environment, but it is yet to get approval from the ministry. The BN is entrusted with the responsibility to protect the maritime boundary of Bangladesh. The BN is mainly limited to coastal patrolling, yet it is an enormous scope to protect the marine environment from pollution. Bangladesh Coast Guard is the principal Law enforcement authority that implements national and international maritime laws. However, the Coast Guard of Bangladesh deals with only piracy operations rather than marine environmental Protection. Mercantile Marine Department was

established under the Bangladesh Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1983. The department has an essential responsibility to deal with the accidents that may cause marine pollution, but it lacks effectiveness in dealing with the issue.
