Bangladeshi seafarer guide

Quick reference

· MMD Chattogram (Mercantile Marine Department, DoS Bangladesh) — CoC issuance & seamen's books: +880 31 712 600
· BSOU (Bangladesh Sea-going Officers' Union) — union representation & welfare.
· Mission to Seafarers Chattogram — port welfare, Chattogram.
· ISWAN SeafarerHelp 24/7 multilingual, free: +44 800 012 1004

Bangladesh is an emerging maritime labour-supplying nation with an estimated 25,000–40,000 active seafarers serving internationally, and a rapidly growing pipeline of GP ratings and junior officers. Bangladeshi seafarers have a significant presence on Gulf, South Asian, and Southeast Asian routes, with growing numbers on European and global tonnage. The regulatory authority is the Department of Shipping (DoS) operating through the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) in Chattogram (Chittagong). Bangladesh is on the IMO White List. The industry faces structural challenges including agency overcharging, certification fraud, and labour disputes in Gulf States, but the government has made notable progress in expanding accredited maritime education capacity.

Regulatory authority

Department of Shipping (DoS Bangladesh). Under the Ministry of Shipping. Sets maritime policy, administers the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1983 (as amended), and oversees the MMD. The DoS also licences manning agencies under the Bangladesh Recruiting Agency (BRA) system and administers the Seafarers Welfare Fund.
Mercantile Marine Department (MMD), Chattogram. The operational arm that issues Certificates of Competency (CoC) for deck and engine officers, Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) for ratings, and the Bangladesh Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) — the national seafarer's identity document equivalent. MMD also accredits maritime training institutions and examines candidates for officer CoC. The MMD maintains offices in Chattogram; some services are also available in Dhaka.

CoC system

Bangladesh issues CoCs in a Class 1–3 progression for deck and engine departments, aligned to STCW Manila Amendments:

Class 1. Master or Chief Engineer on vessels of unrestricted service. Equivalent to STCW Reg II/2 (Master) or III/2 (Chief Engineer).
Class 2. Chief Officer or Second Engineer on large vessels; Master or Chief Engineer on near-coastal or restricted service. Equivalent to STCW II/2 at Chief Officer level or III/2 at Second Engineer level.
Class 3. Officer of the Watch (deck) or watchkeeping engineer; entry-level international officer qualification. Equivalent to STCW II/1 or III/1 OOW.
GP-Rating Certificates of Proficiency. The dominant output of Bangladeshi maritime education. Issued for STCW Reg II/4 (Rating Forming Part of a Navigational Watch), II/5 (Able Seafarer Deck), III/4 (RFPEW), and III/5 (Able Seafarer Engine). Bangladesh has a particularly large GP-rating training capacity supplying Gulf and Southeast Asian bulk and tanker fleets.

Maritime training institutions

Officer-track training is delivered via a 3-year pre-sea cadet programme at MMD-accredited institutions, followed by sea-time completion and MMD officer examination:

· Bangladesh Marine Academy (BMA), Chattogram — government institution; the primary officer-training college; offers pre-sea cadet (Class 3 CoC pathway) and GP-rating programmes. STCW-accredited by MMD.
· International Maritime Academy (IMA), Chattogram — private; significant enrolment; offers officer cadet and GP-rating short courses.
· Western Maritime Academy (WMA) — Chattogram; private; focuses on GP-rating, STCW short courses, and tanker familiarisation.
· Multiple MMD-accredited private training centres — concentrated in Chattogram and Dhaka; deliver STCW basic safety training (BST), proficiency in survival craft, advanced fire fighting, medical first aid, and the GMDSS General Operator's Certificate (GOC). Verify accreditation with MMD before enrolling.

The GP-rating pipeline — producing Ordinary Seamen, Able Seafarers, Engine Room ratings — is a major strength of the Bangladeshi maritime sector. These ratings require only completion of an approved BST and relevant CoP programme at a MMD-accredited centre, without a full degree, and have strong employment prospects in Gulf and Asian fleets.

Wages and trade unions

The principal seafarer union bodies are the Bangladesh Sea-going Officers' Union (BSOU) for officer-rank seafarers, and the Bangladesh Seafarers Welfare Council, which administers the Seafarers Welfare Fund and provides repatriation and distress assistance. Indicative wages for Bangladeshi seafarers on international voyages:

· Master / Chief Engineer (tanker) — approx. USD 8,000–11,000/month.
· Chief Officer / First Engineer — approx. USD 5,000–8,000/month.
· OOW (Officer of the Watch) / Third Engineer — approx. USD 4,000–5,000/month.
· Able Seafarer / GP Rating — approx. USD 900–2,000/month.

The bulk of Bangladeshi seafarers serve as ratings on contracts paying USD 1,000–2,000/month, making Bangladesh a cost-competitive rating-supplier nation. ITF-covered vessels pay at or above TCC minima. BSOU and the Bangladesh Seafarers Welfare Council are the contacts for wage disputes and CBA referrals.

Manning agencies

Manning agencies must hold a DoS-issued Bangladesh Recruiting Agency (BRA) licence. Prominent DoS-licensed agencies include:

· Marine Crew Service Bangladesh — Chattogram; broad ship-type coverage.
· ABS Marine — Chattogram; bulk and container focus.
· Bay Recruitment — Chattogram and Dhaka; officer and rating supply.
· Total Marine Bangladesh — Chattogram; tanker and offshore focus.

Placement-fee charging is prohibited under MLC 2006 Standard A1.4.5 and the Bangladesh Merchant Shipping (Manning) Regulations, yet overcharging by agencies remains a persistent problem. Seafarers should not pay any "registration fee", "documentation fee", or "processing fee" beyond the prescribed medical examination cost. Report illegal fee-charging to the DoS MMD or BSOU. Verify the agency's BRA licence number via the DoS before signing any agreement.

Income tax for Bangladeshi seafarers

Under Section 20 of the Income Tax Ordinance 1984 (as amended), income earned abroad by a Bangladeshi citizen who is a non-resident for tax purposes is generally not subject to Bangladesh income tax. A Bangladeshi seafarer who spends the majority of the relevant income year outside Bangladesh on international voyages is typically treated as a non-resident and their foreign employment earnings are exempt from Bangladesh tax. Resident Bangladeshis — those spending more than 182 days per year in Bangladesh — are taxed on worldwide income, but the practical enforcement of tax on seafarers' overseas earnings has been limited. Seafarers should nonetheless retain records of days at sea to support non-resident status if challenged.

STCW recognition and foreign-flag service

Bangladesh is on the IMO White List, and Bangladeshi CoCs are recognised — subject to EAR issuance — by the major open registries used by operators deploying Bangladeshi crew:

· Liberia, Panama, Marshall Islands, Bahamas — primary recognition jurisdictions for Bangladeshi seafarers.
· Hong Kong SAR — recognised for vessels trading on Asian routes.
· Singapore — significant recognition for South and Southeast Asian trade.

Bangladeshi seafarers most commonly serve on bulk carriers, product tankers, chemical tankers, and general cargo vessels. Gulf State operators (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) are significant employers of Bangladeshi ratings. The EAR must be obtained from the flag state and held alongside the original Bangladeshi CoC; it has its own expiry aligned to the CoC.

Common issues for Bangladeshi seafarers

Placement fee overcharging. Illegal agency fees are the most commonly reported problem for Bangladeshi seafarers. Fees can range from a few thousand taka to several lakh taka for a single contract, pushing seafarers into debt bondage. Report to the DoS MMD, BSOU, or the ITF if an agency charges for placement.
Fake or fraudulent training certificates. Fraudulent STCW certificates — particularly BST, AFF, and GMDSS GOC — are a documented problem in the Bangladeshi maritime sector. Only enrol in MMD-accredited training centres; verify accreditation on the MMD list before payment. Flag-state PSC officers routinely verify certificate authenticity.
Gulf State labour disputes. Bangladeshi ratings employed on vessels trading to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE have reported wage theft, unsafe working conditions, and non-renewal of residency documents (iqama) by vessel operators. Contact the BSOU or ITF inspector network in the relevant port for assistance.
Passport renewal delays. Bangladesh passport renewal at overseas consulates can take several months. Seafarers should initiate renewals with at least 12 months of validity remaining and use the online appointment system at the relevant Bangladesh High Commission or Consulate. Some seafarers have missed joining dates due to expired travel documents.
CDC (Continuous Discharge Certificate) issuance. The CDC is the essential identity document for Bangladeshi seafarers and is issued by MMD Chattogram. New applicants should allow several weeks for processing; MMD queues can be long and some seafarers use unofficial agents — a practice that creates fraud risk. Apply directly through MMD.

Helplines and welfare contacts

· MMD Chattogram — +880 31 712 600; CoC, CDC, training accreditation, and agency licence enquiries.
· Bangladesh Sea-going Officers' Union (BSOU) — Chattogram; officer-rank welfare, wage disputes, CBA referrals.
· Bangladesh Seafarers Welfare Council — Dhaka; Seafarers Welfare Fund, distress assistance, repatriation.
· Mission to Seafarers Chattogram — Anglican chaplaincy; port welfare centre, Chattogram port area.
· ISWAN SeafarerHelp — +44 800 012 1004; 24/7, free, multilingual, confidential.

Rating-to-officer progression

A Bangladeshi rating holding a valid CoP (e.g. Able Seafarer Deck, II/5) can progress to officer rank through the MMD upgrading pathway: accumulate the required sea time in the rating, complete the prescribed STCW officer-level courses at an MMD-accredited institution, and sit the MMD Class 3 CoC examination. The pathway typically requires 18–36 months of post-CoP sea time and 12–18 months of officer-level study, and is the standard route for seafarers who entered the industry via the GP-rating programme rather than the pre-sea cadet route.