Dhaka, 11 May 2026: The 25th International Conference of the ‘North Indian Ocean Hydrographic Commission’ (NIOHC), organized by Bangladesh Navy, has formally commenced today, Monday (11-05-2026), in Chattogram. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Nazmul Hasan inaugurated the three-day conference as the chief guest. At the conference, Director of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) along with representatives of the member states of the North Indian Ocean Hydrographic Commission, diplomats and high-ranking military and civilian officials were present. The conference is being chaired by the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) of Bangladesh Navy and Chairman of the National Hydrographic Committee and the North Indian Ocean Hydrographic Commission, Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa.
In his inaugural speech, the chief guest highlighted the necessity of establishing a ‘National Hydrographer’ as an independent hydrographic authority at the national level, similar to other maritime states of the world. He mentioned that the National Hydrographer would work as a coordinating and regulating authority for the overall hydrographic activities of Bangladesh. Such an initiative would strengthen maritime security by ensuring safe navigation and movement of commercial and other seagoing vessels. At the same time, it would play an important role in blue economy activities and coastal area management. At the conference, the progress, achievements and future plans of various hydrographic activities of the participating countries were presented. In addition, detailed discussions were held on mutual coordination, technical cooperation and training assistance in hydrographic activities among the countries of the North Indian Ocean region.
Among the 15 regional commissions under the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the ‘North Indian Ocean Hydrographic Commission’, established in 2002, is one of them. Its activities are conducted across the North Indian Ocean region, from the Andaman Sea to the Gulf of Aden. In this conference, member states of the commission including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, as well as cooperating states Australia, France, Oman, Mauritius, Seychelles, the United Kingdom and the United States, are participating. Additionally, as observer countries, Russia, Malaysia and Sudan, along with various international organizations and high-level representatives of hydrography-related commercial institutions, are also participating. It is noteworthy that Bangladesh is serving as the Chair of the North Indian Ocean Hydrographic Commission for the term 2025–2027.
