French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy spoke at a seminar hosted by the Embassy of France at the University of Chittagong (CU) on Monday. Photo : French Embassy in Dhaka

DHAKA, July 2, 2025 (BSS) - French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy has highlighted the importance of establishing a Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) in supporting sustainable blue growth in Bangladesh, particularly as Dhaka considers developing earth observation satellite capabilities.

"With the promising prospect of Bangladesh acquiring an earth observation satellite system to enhance its sovereign capacity and effectively monitor the full extent of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the establishment of a national MSDI would be extremely timely and beneficial," she said while addressing a seminar recently.

Following the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) held in Nice in June, the Embassy of France hosted the third edition of its 'Blue Talk' series at the University of Chittagong (CU) on Monday in partnership with the Institute of Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), the French Embassy said in a press release today.

The seminar focused on the development of MSDI in Bangladesh, bringing policymakers, researchers, hydrographers, and international experts together to explore its practical applications across marine sectors.

An MSDI would facilitate the standardisation, integration, and hosting of satellite and marine datasets, making observational products accessible to stakeholders for use in sustainable marine management.

CU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Yahya Akhtar chaired the event, while Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr Shamim Uddin Khan and Rear Admiral Khaled Iqbal, former Vice-Chancellor of Bangladesh Maritime University, attended as special guests.

Key presentations were delivered by Dr Tonia Capuano of Expertise France, Commodore Sheikh Firoz Ahmed of the Bangladesh Navy, and experts from Sri Lanka and Italy.

Ambassador Masdupuy reiterated France's commitment to ocean protection through concrete actions. 

"One such action involves improving governance, as embedded in the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement)," she said.

The ambassador also commended Bangladesh for being among the first countries to ratify the BBNJ Agreement in September 2024.

The seminar follows earlier editions of the Blue Talk series held on the blue economy in November 2024 and satellite data applications in April 2025.