Blue Economy Cell formed to exploit Bay resources

The government has formed the much-awaited Blue Economy Cell under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division for exploration, conservation, and sustainable collection and management of natural and mineral resources within the Bangladesh territorial waters of the Bay of Bengal.
Following the two landmark verdicts by the ITLOS, the Tribunal for disputes arising out of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Bangladesh won more than 118,813sq-km of waters altogether comprising territorial sea and an exclusive economic zone extending out to 200 nautical miles (370km) but it takes more than 5 years to establish such a cell to explore its hydrocarbon and conserve it marine resources in its own way.
"The Blue Economy Cell will work for placer mineral deposits, heavy mineral sands and some radioactive minerals which are present in the prospective areas of Bangladesh," State Minister for Energy, Power and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said while inaugurating the cell at the Petrocenter on Thursday evening.
The Cell's main task will be to explore the seabed of the Bay within the Bangladesh marine border for fossil fuel deposits and other mineral resources, he said. The cell starts its operation with 25 top class officials and skilled persons to meet the future challenges of the energy sector.
Following the landmark victory in maritime dispute with India and Myanmar, Bangladesh obtained undeniable sovereign rights in the seabed extending as far as 354 nautical miles (around 656km) from Chittagong coast in the Bay of Bengal with all living and non-living resources. It could be able to explore mineral deposits with large economic values that are present in mid to outer continental shelf of Bangladesh, from 80m to 200m of water depth.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Division appointed Additional Secretary Golam Fakhruddin Ahmed Chowdhury as the chief of the Cell. Its office has been set up at Petrobangla, the Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation at Karwan Bazar area.
"We are planning to procure a survey vessel with modern dynamic positioning and conduct geological, geomorphological, geotechnical and geohazard reconnaissance mapping of coastal and estuary areas and territorial sea up to 12 nautical miles (22.22km), exclusive economic zone up to 200 nautical miles (370.4km), and 350 nautical miles (648.2km) more onwards to achieve our target," Energy Secretary Nazimuddin Chowdhury said.
The cell is charged with multi-disciplinary responsibilities, which mainly include collecting saltwater fish resources, exploring hydrocarbon resources or fossil fuel and looking into tourism prospects.
Explaining the tasks and major responsibilities of the Blue Economy Cell, the State Minister said, "The Cell will see different marine resources such as fossil fuel, tidal energy, offshore wind, etc are available for use and have economic values, and if it is possible to secure fresh water supply and produce salt, use ocean thermal energy and mine aggregates and marine minerals."