Bangladesh was elected as a member of the International Maritime Organization Council for 2024-2025 in elections held on Friday at the IMO headquarters in London.

This is the first time Bangladesh has been able to become an IMO Council member.

IMO is the only UN specialised body that regulates global shipping standards, which affects ship operating flag states, seafarers and maritime safety, security and marine pollution.

Bangladesh secured 128 votes out of 166 members states present in a highly competitive election of category C [comprising the developing countries], according to a statement of the Bangladesh High Commission in the UK.

"This is a clear manifestation of the confidence and trust that the IMO member states and the international maritime community place on Bangladesh as a maritime nation and its policies and actions under the prudent leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina," said Saida Muna Tasneem, Bangladesh high commissioner to the UK.

Earlier last week, Muna, also permanent representative of Bangladesh to the IMO, was unanimously elected as a vice president of the 33rd Session of the IMO Assembly.

As a member of the IMO Council, Bangladesh will be able to play its role in the decision-making of the body during its term, and negotiate its international trade (90 percent of which is operated by the sea), its maritime ports' transition into green, digitalised and smarter ports, she also said.

Bangladesh has ratified the Hong Kong Convention on ship recycling and use of greener fuels, and will also work on the compliance aspects and other critically important issues to Bangladesh's shipping and maritime industry, Muna added.