India takes over chairmanship of the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation from Bangladesh
India assumed the chairmanship of the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO) from Bangladesh at the 13th Governing Council meeting in the Maldives on 21 February 2025.
Summary
On 21 February 2025 India assumed the chairmanship of the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO) from Bangladesh at its 13th Governing Council meeting in the Maldives, held alongside a conference on mainstreaming the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management in small-scale fisheries at Lankanfinolhu from 20 to 22 February. The Indian delegation was led by Fisheries Secretary Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, who listed marine resource management, capacity building, research and tackling Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing as focus areas. BOBP-IGO, a regional fisheries advisory body headquartered in Chennai, was set up in 2003 out of the FAO's Bay of Bengal Programme of 1979; its members are Bangladesh, India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, with Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand as cooperating non-contracting parties.
Key facts
- Date
- 21 February 2025
- Meeting
- 13th Governing Council, Maldives
- Chair
- India, taking over from Bangladesh
- Indian delegation
- Fisheries Secretary Dr Abhilaksh Likhi
- Members
- Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka
- Headquarters
- Chennai
- Origin
- Set up 2003 from FAO's Bay of Bengal Programme (1979)
Practice MCQs 3 questions
From which country did India take over the chairmanship of BOBP-IGO on 21 February 2025?
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Correct answer: C — Bangladesh
India assumed the chairmanship of BOBP-IGO from Bangladesh at the 13th Governing Council meeting in the Maldives.
Where is the headquarters of the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO)?
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Correct answer: D — Chennai
BOBP-IGO, a regional fisheries advisory body, is headquartered on St. Mary's Road, Abhiramapuram, Chennai.
Consider the following statements about BOBP-IGO: 1. Its members are Bangladesh, India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. 2. Myanmar and Thailand are full members of the organisation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
BOBP-IGO's members are Bangladesh, India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, while Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand are only cooperating non-contracting parties, so only the first statement is correct.