Two Seas, One Future: The Mediterranean and the Bay of Bengal in Comparative Perspective

Although a country with coastline, for most Bangladeshis, the Mediterranean Sea is a distant body of water and a topic that does not find mention in the public imagination. Its azure waters, ancient ruins and migrant-laden boats appear only in news headlines—refugee crises in Libya, gas disputes between Turkey and Greece, naval manoeuvres off the coast of Syria. It seems far removed from the Bay of Bengal, where cyclones gather, ships navigate the narrow Strait of Malacca and the mangrove forest Sundarbans stand guard against rising seas.