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In the wake of strong opposition from the departments and the agencies concerned, the government has decided to conduct a feasibility study on the necessity of collecting a coastal surveillance system (CSS) from India, officials said.
A six-member committee has been formed to weigh the pros and cons of the surveillance system and its necessity, since some stakeholders have cautioned the government against procuring the system without considering the security issue carefully, they added.
A representative of the Bangladesh Coast Guard will head the body comprising representatives from the Navy, the Department of Shipping, police, the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), and the National Security Intelligence (NSI).
The committee has been asked to submit its report within two months. On the basis of the committee's recommendations, an inter-ministerial meeting will then take a decision on the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India for colleting the system.
Months ago, India sent a draft MoU after Bangladesh sought Delhi's assistance in strengthening the country's coastal surveillance system. In the draft MoU, India proposed that it wants to finance the setting up of the CSS and that the Bharat Electronics Ltd. will supply all the system paraphernalia.
Earlier, at a meeting of the home ministry, a representative of the Armed Forces Division requested the authorities to examine the security issue before taking a decision on the coastal surveillance system, sources said.
A foreign ministry official said the security aspect of such a sensitive project should be taken into consideration. He suggested conducting a feasibility study and physical inspection of the CSS before signing the MoU.
At the meeting, a shipping ministry official said a project of the ministry has already been underway to set up a surveillance system in the coastal areas. So, taking up another similar project involving foreign funds will be a waste of money.
The meeting was also told that Bangladesh had no procurement history with Bharat Electronics Ltd. If the CSS comes with satellite-based technology, the country may not have effective control on it.
Earlier, giving its opinion on the proposed MoU, the department of shipping opposed the procurement of the system exclusively from an Indian company. It said the deal could lack transparency unless the Economic Relations Division (ERD) gets involved in the process and other companies can compete in the bidding.
According to officials, the shipping department has already been implementing a project, namely 'Establishment of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and Integrated Maritime Navigation System', under which modern equipment will be procured for maritime safety. A command and control centre will be set up in the shipping department under the project.
Besides, the lighthouses in Cox's Bazar and St. Martin's and Kutubdia islands will be modernised and four new lighthouses and seven coastal radio stations will be set up under the project. On completion of the project, the shipping department will be able to monitor vessels plying off Bangladesh coast and ensure their security.
The shipping department also said the coastal surveillance system is already incorporated into the GMDSS project.
Director General of the shipping department Syed Ariful Islam said that signing of the MoU will lead to the duplication of the surveillance system. He also expressed reservation over some provisions of the proposed deal.
He also said the interest of Bangladesh would be compromised if the MoU is signed for an indefinite period. A long-term deal may create a barrier to collecting more advanced surveillance system in the future, he added.
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.c...o-study-first-before-procuring-CSS-from-India
