IMRF Organises Donation of Lifejackets to Bangladesh Fishermen

One thousand lifejackets have been donated to Bangladesh fishermen following an initiative launched by the Asia Pacific arm of the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF).

Along with member organisation Shanghai Sun Glory Marine Co. Ltd, the IMRF Asia-Pacific Regional Centre (APRC) delivered the lifejackets to the Bangladesh Navy, who transported them on two warships—Prottoy and Shandhinota—docked in the city of Qidong, Jiangsu Province, China, to Bangladesh. Distribution of the lifejackets was then coordinated by the Bangladesh Coast Guard.

Bruce Reid, CEO of the IMRF, praised the initiative, calling it a great example of cooperation between charities, a commercial company, and the military. “This is a great example of co-operation between charities, a commercial company and the military to provide support for the fishermen of Bangladesh. The country has one of the highest rates of drowning in the world, and their fishermen risk their lives on a daily basis,” Reid said. “We hope to be able to offer more support in the future.”

The provision of the lifejackets stemmed from the loss of life following a large tropical storm in September 2015, when many fishing boats capsized, and there was considerable loss of life because there were no lifejackets on board.

Mr. Mahmud Rahman, a dolphin ecologist with the Tropical Research Dolphin Foundation, had been working with the fishermen to understand more about the marine life offshore. He recognized the impact lifejackets could have and decided to explore ways to assist the villages hardest hit by loss of life.

Jennifer Lewis, Director of the Tropical Dolphin Research Foundation, explained, “We sent an email to the IMRF to see what type of help could be provided. What resulted was an amazing collaboration between charities, government organisations, and commercial suppliers. We realize that it may seem a leap from protecting dolphins, but to us, conservation involves also protecting humans that share this environment with the dolphins. Doing this, we then have a better chance to preserve all of the nature we love.”

Mr. Rahman was instrumental in managing the distribution of 400 of these lifejackets from Bagerhat, where they were stored at the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute. A small ceremony was held at the Institute in Bagerhat last week to celebrate the arrival of the jackets, with 21 boats provided with 14 jackets each. Vessel checks will be made by local Coast Guard officers to ensure the jackets are maintained on the vessels.

The ceremony was attended by Mr. Md. Jahangir, District Commissioner of Bagerhat, Mr. ATM Rezaul Hasan, Commander of the Bangladesh Coast Guard (West Zone), Dr. Khan Kamal Uddin Ahmed, Chief Scientific Officer of the Shrimp Research Station, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Mr. Rakibul Islam, a Scientific Officer from the Institute, and Mr. Mahmud Rahman, Field Research Manager of the Tropical Research Foundation. Among the 70 attendees, 45 were local fishermen.

The IMRF APRC is looking at other possible areas of assistance to improve the safety of fishermen. “It is estimated that 25,000 artisanal fishermen die every year around the world, so we have a responsibility to help find solutions to this challenge,” says Reid. “This exercise has highlighted that with the right approach, the right people, and a common goal, much can be achieved. We like to think that safe fishermen make great grandparents, so even one life saved makes a difference.”

The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) brings the world's maritime search and rescue organizations together in one global and growing family, accredited at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). IMRF's member organizations share their lifesaving ideas, technologies, and experiences and cooperate with one another to achieve their common humanitarian aim: “Preventing loss of life in the world’s waters.”

This article was originally published on Marine & Industrial Report newspaper Vol 38  No.2  Issue last April 30,2016.