Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A B M Obaidul Islam left Dhaka for China on Tuesday night to attend the China-South Asia Marine Cooperation Forum, organized by the First Institute of Oceanography (FIO) under China`s Ministry of Natural Resources and the Shangdao Municipal Government.
He departed Dhaka at 10:10 pm on Air China Airlines flight CA 702. The two-day forum will be held on September 17 and 18 at the Starlight Island Conference Center in Shangdao, China.
The Vice-Chancellor is accompanied by Dean of the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Dr. Md. Humayun Kabir, Dean of the Faculty of Arts Professor Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Sarkar, and Director of the International Center for Ocean Governance (ICOG) Dr. K M Azam Chowdhury.
During the visit, the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the First Institute of Oceanography and the University of Dhaka will be renewed. At the forum, the Vice-Chancellor will discuss ocean observation and early warning systems, China-Bangladesh joint research initiatives, and the possibility of establishing a joint research laboratory on oceanography.
Other members of the delegation will participate in different sessions of the forum. Professor Dr. Md. Humayun Kabir will discuss China-Bangladesh experiences and cooperation in disaster risk reduction, while Professor Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Sarkar will co-chair a technical session on the blue economy and sustainable marine development. Dr. K M Azam Chowdhury will present research findings on the seasonal characteristics of the Oxygen Minimum Zone in the northern Bay of Bengal.
Researchers and policymakers from China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Pakistan will participate in the forum. The forum will discuss various important issues, including climate change, marine environmental protection, disaster risk reduction, the blue economy and sustainable marine development.
The participation of the University of Dhaka in the forum and the renewal of the MoU with FIO are expected to further strengthen marine research, academic exchange and technical cooperation between China and Bangladesh.
During the Vice-Chancellor`s leave, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Dr. Abdus Salam will perform the routine duties of the Vice-Chancellor in addition to his own responsibilities.
