Poland – Bangladesh: talks on a maritime and energy partnership for the Port of Gdańsk
On 7 July 2025 we had the pleasure of hosting representatives of the Embassy of Bangladesh in the Port of Gdańsk, namely: His Excellency Md Mainul Islam, Ambassador, and Mr Biswajit Debnath, First Secretary.
The representatives of the Port of Gdańsk shared the most important information about the functioning and strategic importance of the Port of Gdańsk with the distinguished guests.
The talks focused on establishing direct sea routes between Poland and Bangladesh; opportunities for partnership between the Port of Gdańsk and the largest port in Bangladesh – the Port of Chittagong; the development of the LNG Terminal in the Port of Gdańsk and prospects for a partnership with Bangladesh in this area.
Bangladesh is a country of growing economic importance. Today it has a population of around 173 million, which makes it the eighth most populous country in the world. Thanks to a very young population and a rapidly growing middle class, it represents a huge consumer market and a labour force that drives industry and exports.
Although it is mainly known for its powerful textile sector (the world’s second largest exporter of clothing), Bangladesh is also investing in the development of such industries as electronics and household appliances, pharmaceuticals, energy (including LNG and renewable energy sources), the food industry, digital technologies and IT.
The largest and most important seaport in Bangladesh is Chittagong (Chattogram) Port, located in the Bay of Bengal in the south-eastern part of the country. It handles over 90% of Bangladesh’s total foreign trade, with cargo handling that exceeds 3 million TEU per year. It is a port of strategic importance for the South Asian region and a major logistics hub for the export of textiles, agricultural products, electronic components and many other commodity groups.
Maritime trade between Poland and Bangladesh currently takes place mainly through intermediary ports (e.g. Colombo and Singapore). There are no direct container services yet, but the growing volume of trade and the development of maritime infrastructure in both countries create real opportunities for establishing regular connections.
Is it possible to strengthen the position of the Port of Gdańsk as a gateway to Central and Eastern Europe and open up a new direction for Bangladesh’s economic expansion? This will be verified by further activities exploring the potential for a deeper partnership – both in terms of logistics and port infrastructure, as well as energy, international trade and the promotion of direct maritime routes.
