BanglaBhoot
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'Bangladesh may lose big Bay area'
Dhaka, Jan 9 (bdnews24.com) Bangladesh stands to lose a large sea area to two neighbours if it does not register its claims with the UN by 2011, warns a grouping of eminent citizens.
Myanmar has already filed its claims to the UN, while the India is processing the issue, according to National Committee to Protect Maritime Area and Resources.
The loss could be to the tune of 15-40 thousand square kilometres of sea area, a possibility if the two neighbours filed their claims and Bangladesh did not.
"In accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Bangladesh will have to lodge primary claims about its maritime boundary by 2011 after necessary surveys," retired commodore Khurshed Alam said, speaking Friday at a press conference for the committee.
"But Bangladesh is yet to reach any decision in this regard," he said. "The loss will have huge economic consequences," the former commodore said in a written statement.
Failure to meet the 2011 deadline would mean Bangladesh would have to be satisfied with the leftover from India and Myanmar, the committee warned.
The Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act 1974 of Bangladesh has never been updated in line with the UNCLOS Charter of 1982, the former navy officer said.
The maritime boundary dispute has already hit headlines in recent months, with both India and Myanmar trying to explore for natural resources into territory that Bangladesh claims its.
Bangladesh banks not only on its many rivers, said professor Serajul Islam Chowdhury, but also the Bay of Bengal.
Chowdhury and other eminent citizens have formed the committee to create awareness among all, including policymakers, about the importance of protecting Bangladesh's sea resources.
Prof Chowdhury said the maritime issue should be discussed in the parliament.
Prof Anu Muhammad said failure to secure sea rights bordered on compromise with the sovereignty of the country.
Prof Akmal Hossain cited the recent "intrusion of India and Myanmar into the Bangladesh waters" and said these incidents proved the resourcefulness of the Bay.
"Diplomacy should be the means to resolve such issues, but, first, we need to demarcate our maritime borders," said Hossain, a professor of international relations at Dhaka University.
If diplomacy fails, he said, Bangladesh could go to the International Tribunal.
The committee recommended that a maritime ministry be formed to deal solely with the issue.
It said Bangladesh will have to establish its rights on Dakhin (south) Talpatti Island resolving the dispute with India.
According to that UN charter, Bangladesh can claim up to 350 nautical miles (650 kilometres) of the Bay of Bengal from the continental shelf.
'Bangladesh may lose big Bay area' :: Bangladesh :: bdnews24.com ::
Dhaka, Jan 9 (bdnews24.com) Bangladesh stands to lose a large sea area to two neighbours if it does not register its claims with the UN by 2011, warns a grouping of eminent citizens.
Myanmar has already filed its claims to the UN, while the India is processing the issue, according to National Committee to Protect Maritime Area and Resources.
The loss could be to the tune of 15-40 thousand square kilometres of sea area, a possibility if the two neighbours filed their claims and Bangladesh did not.
"In accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Bangladesh will have to lodge primary claims about its maritime boundary by 2011 after necessary surveys," retired commodore Khurshed Alam said, speaking Friday at a press conference for the committee.
"But Bangladesh is yet to reach any decision in this regard," he said. "The loss will have huge economic consequences," the former commodore said in a written statement.
Failure to meet the 2011 deadline would mean Bangladesh would have to be satisfied with the leftover from India and Myanmar, the committee warned.
The Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act 1974 of Bangladesh has never been updated in line with the UNCLOS Charter of 1982, the former navy officer said.
The maritime boundary dispute has already hit headlines in recent months, with both India and Myanmar trying to explore for natural resources into territory that Bangladesh claims its.
Bangladesh banks not only on its many rivers, said professor Serajul Islam Chowdhury, but also the Bay of Bengal.
Chowdhury and other eminent citizens have formed the committee to create awareness among all, including policymakers, about the importance of protecting Bangladesh's sea resources.
Prof Chowdhury said the maritime issue should be discussed in the parliament.
Prof Anu Muhammad said failure to secure sea rights bordered on compromise with the sovereignty of the country.
Prof Akmal Hossain cited the recent "intrusion of India and Myanmar into the Bangladesh waters" and said these incidents proved the resourcefulness of the Bay.
"Diplomacy should be the means to resolve such issues, but, first, we need to demarcate our maritime borders," said Hossain, a professor of international relations at Dhaka University.
If diplomacy fails, he said, Bangladesh could go to the International Tribunal.
The committee recommended that a maritime ministry be formed to deal solely with the issue.
It said Bangladesh will have to establish its rights on Dakhin (south) Talpatti Island resolving the dispute with India.
According to that UN charter, Bangladesh can claim up to 350 nautical miles (650 kilometres) of the Bay of Bengal from the continental shelf.
'Bangladesh may lose big Bay area' :: Bangladesh :: bdnews24.com ::
