Department of Shipping
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| Formation | 1976 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
Region served | Bangladesh |
Official language | Bengali |
Director General | Commodore M SHAFIUL BARI (ND),ndc, psc, BN |
Parent organization | Ministry of Shipping |
| Website | Department of Shipping |
Department of Shipping is a Bangladesh government regulatory agency under the Ministry of Shipping of Bangladesh responsible for maritime safety, formulation and enforcement of maritime regulation.[1][2] The Director General of the Department of Shipping is Commodore Mohammad Maksud Alam.[3]
The agency came into existence in 1976 through the merger of Directorate of Shipping and the Controller of Shipping. It is responsible for the regulation of maritime activity in Bangladesh.[4][5] The department is responsible for safety of inland navigation and issuing registration and annual fitness certificates of the vessels.[6][7] International Maritime Organization has scrutinized the role of the Department of Shipping over fake competency certificate issued to ships.[8]
Captain AKM Shafiqullah tried to remain in the post of Director General through a verdict of the High Court Division in 2009 and preventing Rear Admiral Bazlur Rahman from taking charge.[9] He had faced criticism for allowing a ship blacklisted by greenpeace to enter Bangladesh for dismantling disobeying instructions from the Prime Minister's Office.[9]
The Department in 2016 blamed lack of flag protection and high interest rate for the dwindling number of Bangladeshi flag carry ships.[10]
