Bangladesh has won the 175-member International Maritime Organization (IMO) council election 2023 in category C, held on Friday afternoon in the IMO headquarters in London, securing 128 votes.

This is for the first time Bangladesh has won the election in the highly competitive category C of the IMO, according to a message received here from Bangladesh mission in London today.

After the election result, Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK and Permanent Representative to the IMO Saida Muna Tasneem expressed her gratitude to the IMO members for electing Bangladesh as a Council member and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to IMO’s charter of actions for dealing with the Maritime.

She also expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Shipping of Bangladesh and specially thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her bold decision to compete in the IMO council election in 2023.

“Bangladesh’s election to the International Maritime Organisation’s elite 40-member council is a testimony of the confidence and trust that the IMO member states and the International Maritime Community places on Bangladesh’s leadership as a maritime nation and action led by the prudent leadership of our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” said the Bangladesh envoy.

Earlier, Tasneem was elected by consensus Vice President of the 33rd assembly of the IMO during which the election took place.

IMO, the only UN specialised body, regulates global shipping standards that have effect on ship operating flag states, seafarers and maritime safety security and marine pollutions.

Bangladesh’s international trade, 90 percent of which is operated by the sea, and transition of maritime ports into green and digitalised as well as compliance with the Hong Kong convention on ship recycling usage of greener fuels are some of the key issues that Dhaka would be negotiating at the IMO council during the term 2024-25.