Bangladesh Marine Academy is a regimental and residential maritime training institute located in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The academy develops marine cadets, merchant marines and marine engineers for national & foreign flagged ships engaged in international voyages.

It has a Partnering Relation with World Maritime University (WMU), Malmö, Sweden since 2019 (was a Branch of WMU since 1990 till 2019) and also has an affiliation for Bachelor of Maritime Science Degree course for the Pre-Sea Cadets with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Bangladesh since 2013.

Its education is recognized by IMO (UN), European Union (EMSA), UK Merchant Navy Training Board, Nautical Institute London & Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) London, Global Maritime Education and Training association (Australia) and has ISO 9001:2015 Quality Certificate by DNV-GL.

History

Seafarers' Memorial located at the center of Bangladesh Marine Academy Campus

The world was rapidly changing after WWII (1939–45). West Pakistan along with East Bengal (Bangladesh) became independent from British rule in 1947. The Pakistan Government at the time looked into developing industrial training facilities. A scheme for establishing a marine academy beside the Bay of Bengal was sanctioned in 1952. Juldia Point (valleys of Juldia-Rangadia) at the Karnaphuly river-mouth at Bay of Bengal was chosen for the planned academy due to its ‘ship-like environment’. The geographic location of this facility was unique in the country and was not available to other Suez to South-East Asian countries. (Project Plan – Development of Marine Academy, Phase – II [1973-1980])

The construction of basic infrastructure commenced. Its initial budget was Taka 31.19 lakhs in 1952, which increased to Taka 53 lakhs in 1959 and to Taka 58.3 lakhs in 1961. The initial project was completed with the objective of training 22 Nautical Cadet Officers and 22 Marine Engineering Cadet Officers. The new-built ‘Mercantile Marine Academy’ began in 3 September 1962.

During the Great Liberation War in 1971, the then Pakistan Government shifted the academy's function to Karachi, abandoning this academy. Immediately after the war, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman resumed it as a Marine Academy with appointing Capt. (Merchant Marine) M L Rahman as its Commandant (first Bangladeshi Commandant). Bangabandhu began a project titled "Development of Marine Academy (1973-1980)" to raise the academy at the forefront of maritime professional excellence in South Asia.^[1][2]

The Bangladesh Government has recently established four more Marine Academies in Barisal, Pabna, Sylhet and Rangpur of Bangladesh which commenced in 2021.

Courses

Campus

Campus map, Bangladesh Marine Academy

The campus area is 100 acres. The campus includes:

• Two jetties at the both side of river Karnaphuly.
• Parade ground, football grounds, basketball grounds, volleyball grounds.
• Cadet Block and post-sea block, Commandant's house, Instructors houses
• Separate dining hall for cadets and instructors.
• Admin block, Instructional block, Eletro-navigational block, Workshop, auditorium
• Marine Academy primary School, Marine academy School and College
• Swimming pool, lake, recreation hill.
• Bangladesh Maritime Museum, Seafarers' Memorial

Academic facilities

ENS block, Bangladesh Marine Academy

Notable alumni

• Abdul Awal Mintoo -graduated 1968.

• Azizul Islam - is a Bangladeshi flutist. He was awarded Ekushey Padak by the Government of Bangladesh in the music category in 2017

See also

• Bangladesh Marine Fisheries Academy
• Bangladesh Naval Academy

References