DHAKA: The supply of locally-trained and skilled mariners to the international markets can bring fame and huge amount of foreign currencies to the country, marine-sector expert said.

Expert added that despite having huge demands of Bangladeshi mariners in international markets, the opportunities are not being used properly.

Shah Mominul Islam Chowdhury, who has nearly two decades of experiences in the marine sector, made the assertion in an exclusive interview with banglanews. Mominul is also the managing director (MD) of privately-run Shah Marine and Business Institute, located in the capital.

The MD discussed the ins and outs on prospects and problems of marine sector in home and abroad. He, however, said only some 4,000 mariners out of 16 crore total population can never be an optimistic matter.

Mominul observed that Banglees are better skilled, capable of taking more mantel pressure and fewer wages compared to the other countries’ mariners. Consequently, Bangladeshi mariners are more accepted by any company around the world, including European shipping companies, he added.

About 20 lakh mariners are working on roughly 1.25 lakh ships across the world. Among them, only 4,000 are Bangladeshi mariners whereas neighboring India has approximately 100,000 revealed the marine-sector expert.

He went on saying that the Philippines has the largest number of mariners--around 400,000 over the seas followed by India at the second place in the international markets.

Bangladesh can take the position of India, if it comes up with a little bit effort in this sector, opined Mominul.

Foreign shipping companies have shown interest to recruit Bangladeshi mariners. The MD said they had personally talked to several European shipping companies and some others from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The companies have assured them of recruiting mariners with open arms, if they can create the skilled and trained mariners, said Mominul.

But, unfortunately it is true that the country’s marine sector has not been much developed yet. “We are not moving forward because we lack enough mariners despite having demands in the international markets,” he said.

Mominul also observed that private sector plays pivotal roles in developing any sector. Several hundred mariners are being added to the markets every year from Bangladesh Marine Academy--the lone state-run marine academy of the country; but this is not enough, said the MD.

On the other hand, the government has allowed some 18 privately-run marine institutes to enroll a total on 1,800 students annually. But, due to lack of awareness, students are not getting admitted in majority of those institutions.

Till date, general people think taking marine engineering education needs more money which they cannot afford. But marine engineering costs less than that of any private medical college expense. And nowadays, students who come from middle class families are studying at the private medical colleges.

The MD disclosed the detailed information on the study expense at his institutions. A student will have to cost a total of Tk 15 lakh during the two-year education period; a student is to spend one year in Bangladesh and another year in London separately, said Monminul.

According to Mominul, job prospects in this sector are cent percent. They has already discussed with the international shipping companies. Marine cadets from Shah Marine and Business Institute are doing internship at different famous shipping companies around the world.

Upon completion of the internship, the cadets are getting jobs with an average salary of $1,000, equal to approximately Tk 80,000. Almost no other profession has this kind of opportunity to make a big start in jobs.

Due to lack of knowledge on marine sector, young generation is not getting interest in this profession. But this sector might have become their golden future, said the marine expert.

At present, only 600 to 700 marine cadets are getting jobs in the international markets. If Bangladesh can create only 1 percent of total trained and skilled mariner at the international markets some 20,000 mariners’ employment and Tk 160 crore remittance earning will be possible, he claimed.

He viewed that both government and private-run awareness rising program should be taken to develop this sector.

Mominul said some 5,000 students, on an average, are taking the admission test for the state-run marine academy while some 500 students enrolled at last year.

If the government assists the private sector providing the rest of the admission seekers’ information they can prepare the students for the international markets, he added.

Even, the marine sector can possibly solve the country’s unemployment problem in a large extent, he said.

Shah Mominul Islam Chowdhury began his career as a marine cadet at Norwegian city of Bergen in 1993. Since then, he had efficiently worked at the marine sectors of different countries in Europe. Upon his return to Bangladesh on 2009, he has been tirelessly working for the development of the country’s marine sector.

BDST: 2200 HRS, OCT 23, 2014