Bangladesh Launches Its First-Ever Vessel Census Today
For the first time in the country’s history, the government is launching the Vessel Census 2026 to make the inland and maritime transport sector safer, more organized, modern and data-driven. The nationwide census will begin today, Thursday, and continue until August 29. The Department of Shipping and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) will jointly conduct the census. Necessary information, including the number, types, ownership and registration of vessels operating in the country, will be collected. Authorities have requested vessel owners, operators, workers and other stakeholders to provide full cooperation to the census teams. Secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division Md Firoz Sarker told The Daily Inqilab that the government has undertaken the country’s first-ever vessel census to make the water transport sector safer, more organized, modern and data-driven. He said water transport is an important part of Bangladesh’s communication system and economy as a riverine country.
However, there has long been a need for comprehensive and reliable statistics on the number, types and other information related to vessels operating in the sector. The nationwide vessel census is being conducted for the first time to address this information gap. Through the census, information on engine-powered vessels operating in the country’s maritime, coastal and inland waters will be collected. A database of the vessels will then be prepared based on the collected information. Technology is being used to collect data in this year’s vessel census. Field enumerators will gather information using tablets through the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) method.
The Ministry of Shipping announced the census in a press release issued on Wednesday. The nationwide data collection drive is being launched under the Department of Shipping’s ongoing project titled “Creation of Vessel Database and Capacity Enhancement in Vessel Management.”
The initiative aims to collect updated information on all engine-powered vessels operating in the country’s maritime, coastal and inland waters and prepare an integrated database. The Department of Shipping and BBS will jointly conduct the census across the country from Thursday to August 29. The census will collect essential information such as the number of vessels, their types, ownership and registration status. The database prepared from the collected information will play an important role in planning, managing, ensuring safety and formulating policies for the country’s water transport sector. The census is expected to provide a reliable, updated and comprehensive statistical picture of the country’s vessel sector. This will make it easier to improve vessel registration and management, strengthen maritime safety, improve waterway management and obtain the necessary data for future planning.
Authorities have urged vessel owners, operators, workers and other stakeholders to extend full cooperation to the census workers appointed by BBS to ensure the successful completion of the census. All concerned have also been requested to provide the census teams with accurate and necessary information to help make the Vessel Census 2026 a success. The first-ever nationwide Vessel Census 2026 is being viewed as an important and timely initiative that will provide an accurate picture of the country’s water transport sector and help make future development plans more effective and realistic.
