The government is taking a technology-driven initiative to rapidly locate and rescue fishermen who encounter storms, accidents or mechanical failures while fishing in deep-sea areas.
A satellite-based surveillance system is being planned to continuously monitor the positions and movements of fishing vessels operating in the Bay of Bengal.
The proposed system will make it possible to identify the locations of vessels operating far beyond coastal areas. It is also expected to strengthen maritime security, improve fisheries resource management and create new opportunities to harness the potential of the country’s blue economy.
For this purpose, the Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL) is planning to deploy satellites equipped with the Automatic Identification System (AIS).
The estimated cost of the project is around Tk 600 crore.
BSCL officials said Bangladesh has a maritime area of approximately 118,813 square kilometres, which contains substantial fisheries resources, marine biodiversity and economic potential. However, maintaining regular surveillance across this vast maritime territory remains a major challenge.
To address the challenge, the proposed project includes four Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, two ground stations and local server infrastructure for data storage and processing.
This will enable the country to store and manage information about maritime vessels using its own infrastructure while reducing dependence on foreign third-party service providers.
Bangladesh’s first satellite, Bangabandhu Satellite-1, currently operating in space, was primarily developed to provide telecommunications and broadcasting services.
nder the proposed system, the government aims to ensure a maximum revisit time of 30 minutes across the entire Bay of Bengal region. This means that after a satellite observes a particular area, the same area will be monitored again within a maximum of 30 minutes.
As a result, authorities will be able to analyse how many vessels are operating in specific areas, where fishing activities are concentrated and whether any vessels are moving beyond designated zones.
The system is also expected to support efforts to control overfishing, conserve marine species and develop sustainable fisheries management strategies.
A feasibility study of the project is currently underway. Implementation will begin after the technical design, financing arrangements, selection of satellite manufacturers and necessary infrastructure requirements are finalised.
According to the plan, the satellite-based surveillance service is expected to become operational by 2028.
Improved Safety and Rescue Operations for Fishermen
Incidents involving storms, rough waves, mechanical failures and accidents frequently occur when fishing vessels operate in the Bay of Bengal.
The problem is particularly serious when vessels travel far from the coast and move beyond the coverage of mobile networks. In such situations, identifying the exact location of a vessel in distress becomes difficult.
In many cases, locating missing fishing vessels requires prolonged search and rescue operations.
With the proposed technology, the movements of AIS-equipped vessels will be monitored even when they are operating far from the coastline. This is expected to make rescue operations easier for relevant agencies, including the Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard.
Furthermore, analysing vessel movement data and planning routes more efficiently could reduce unnecessary travel and help save fuel.
According to BSCL’s preliminary estimates, a vessel could save up to 150 litres of diesel on a single trip through optimised route planning.
Based on these estimates, the potential annual fuel savings could reach approximately 45 million litres.
Surveillance Data to Support Fisheries Resource Management
The introduction of a satellite-based AIS system will create opportunities to collect and preserve long-term data on vessel movements and fishing activities at sea.
By analysing information on how many vessels enter particular areas, when they engage in fishing activities and when they return to shore, authorities will be able to develop a comprehensive database on marine fishing activities.
Such information will play an important role in improving fisheries resource management.
In particular, monitoring trends in overfishing, vessel movements during specific periods and changes in fishing activities across different regions could help authorities formulate more effective long-term management strategies.
However, AIS technology does not directly identify the locations of fish in the sea. Its primary purpose is to monitor vessel identities and movements.
Determining where fish are likely to be found requires analysing information such as water temperature, ocean colour, chlorophyll concentrations, plankton presence and ocean currents.
For these purposes, technologies such as satellite remote sensing, sonar and echo sounders are used.
In other words, AIS identifies where a vessel is operating, while oceanographic technologies help determine areas where fish are more likely to be found.
The integrated use of these technologies and datasets in the future could create new opportunities for modern, data-driven fisheries management in the Bay of Bengal.
BSCL Highlights Importance of Maritime Surveillance
Dr Muhammad Imadur Rahman, Managing Director of Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited, said the Bay of Bengal was an important economic resource for Bangladesh.
He said establishing a technology-driven surveillance system was essential to protecting these resources, ensuring proper management and strengthening maritime security.
He added that the proposed satellite-based AIS system would enable authorities to regularly monitor the positions and movements of fishing vessels operating in deep-sea areas.
As a result, when a vessel encounters an accident or natural disaster, authorities would be able to identify its location more quickly and support rescue operations.
“We want to establish a system through which important information about Bangladesh’s maritime resources and vessels can be stored and managed using the country’s own satellite and server infrastructure,” he said.
He described the initiative as more than just a technological undertaking, calling it an important step towards developing Bangladesh’s maritime economy, protecting fishermen’s safety and safeguarding maritime sovereignty.
Dr Imadur Rahman further said the technology could play an effective role in ensuring the sustainable management of marine resources, preventing illegal and unregulated fishing, and reducing fuel consumption through the analysis of vessel movement and fishing activity data.
