Avisheik
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Establishing full control over its maritime boundary would require Bangladesh to bolster its naval capacity with the addition of air and radar surveillance as well as new ships, defence experts feel.
The Bay is an important reservoir of both hydrocarbon and fish. Monday's verdict by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea has cleared the way for Bangladesh to explore new areas for oil and gas. Its fishing fleet will also have access to areas previously aggressively guarded by Myanmar.
"Our fishing trawlers could not go near the disputed area as Myanmar Navy would fire shots at us," said Monowarul Hoq, vice-chairman of Bangladesh Marine Fisheries Association. "Incidentally, that part of the Bay is very good fishing ground. We now need protection from the navy to go and fish there."
Defence experts said since the Bay of Bengal is a rough water area, the navy needs larger ships like frigates and large corvettes to patrol it. Right now, the navy has five frigates. Other than BNS Bangabandhu, the other four frigates need to be replaced urgently for old age. BNS Osman is now on duty in Lebanon.
The navy has been trying to procure larger ships from Montenegro and China.
The urgency of emboldening its fleet is even more important as Myanmar, whose naval capacity was regarded as very negligible even five years ago, has very fast developed its sea power. It commissioned a frigate in 2008, and another one is due very soon. It is in the process of procuring another six frigates.
Bangladesh Navy now lacks wide range maritime patrol aircraft which is very effective in detecting violation of boundary. These aircraft are fitted with surveillance radar with which they can keep an eye on vessel movement. Any foreign vessel violating our maritime boundary can be immediately detected and reported to naval ships for intervention.
The navy is trying to procure a patrol aircraft from Germany, and a team is currently there to negotiate a deal.
The navy also needs land-based wide range surveillance radar, which it does not have, to keep watch on the vast sea resource. The radar could be installed on top of a hill in Teknaf to monitor vessel movement.
The navy lacks logistics ships too to ferry ration, medicine, and other supplies from the base to patrolling ships. These patrolling ships stay in the sea for a long time, needing replenishment of supplies.
Such naval presence is needed both for hydrocarbon exploration and fishing. For example, when the question of setting up rigs came to explore gas at Sangu in 1994-95, the first issue that was raised by the British exploration company Cairn was the naval strength of Bangladesh. Cairn's US partner Halliburton also waited for strengthening Bangladesh's naval fleet before committing itself.
And it is also important to chase off invading fishing trawlers from Bangladesh territory. Foreign ships can pass through exclusive economic zone (EEZ), but cannot fish or carry out other economic activities.
But Myanmar trawlers do a lot of fishing in the territory that was disputed, and continuation of it will threaten fish stock. An example of severe fish depletion due to overfishing is the Gulf of Thailand which is now economically unviable for trawling.
Already catch in the Bay is declining. According to an independent study, catch per net in the Bay was 8.2 to 130.4 kilograms in 1985 which dropped to 1.43 to 25 kilograms by 2005. Giving permission to too many trawlers without conducting any fish stock survey is thought to be a major reason for such decline. Currently, 146 trawling licences exist with the present government issuing 34, which fishermen think are way too many for sustainable harvesting of fish.
Wonder what kinda ship is it gonna be?
Damn another patrol aircraft
The Bay is an important reservoir of both hydrocarbon and fish. Monday's verdict by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea has cleared the way for Bangladesh to explore new areas for oil and gas. Its fishing fleet will also have access to areas previously aggressively guarded by Myanmar.
"Our fishing trawlers could not go near the disputed area as Myanmar Navy would fire shots at us," said Monowarul Hoq, vice-chairman of Bangladesh Marine Fisheries Association. "Incidentally, that part of the Bay is very good fishing ground. We now need protection from the navy to go and fish there."
Defence experts said since the Bay of Bengal is a rough water area, the navy needs larger ships like frigates and large corvettes to patrol it. Right now, the navy has five frigates. Other than BNS Bangabandhu, the other four frigates need to be replaced urgently for old age. BNS Osman is now on duty in Lebanon.
The navy has been trying to procure larger ships from Montenegro and China.
The urgency of emboldening its fleet is even more important as Myanmar, whose naval capacity was regarded as very negligible even five years ago, has very fast developed its sea power. It commissioned a frigate in 2008, and another one is due very soon. It is in the process of procuring another six frigates.
Bangladesh Navy now lacks wide range maritime patrol aircraft which is very effective in detecting violation of boundary. These aircraft are fitted with surveillance radar with which they can keep an eye on vessel movement. Any foreign vessel violating our maritime boundary can be immediately detected and reported to naval ships for intervention.
The navy is trying to procure a patrol aircraft from Germany, and a team is currently there to negotiate a deal.
The navy also needs land-based wide range surveillance radar, which it does not have, to keep watch on the vast sea resource. The radar could be installed on top of a hill in Teknaf to monitor vessel movement.
The navy lacks logistics ships too to ferry ration, medicine, and other supplies from the base to patrolling ships. These patrolling ships stay in the sea for a long time, needing replenishment of supplies.
Such naval presence is needed both for hydrocarbon exploration and fishing. For example, when the question of setting up rigs came to explore gas at Sangu in 1994-95, the first issue that was raised by the British exploration company Cairn was the naval strength of Bangladesh. Cairn's US partner Halliburton also waited for strengthening Bangladesh's naval fleet before committing itself.
And it is also important to chase off invading fishing trawlers from Bangladesh territory. Foreign ships can pass through exclusive economic zone (EEZ), but cannot fish or carry out other economic activities.
But Myanmar trawlers do a lot of fishing in the territory that was disputed, and continuation of it will threaten fish stock. An example of severe fish depletion due to overfishing is the Gulf of Thailand which is now economically unviable for trawling.
Already catch in the Bay is declining. According to an independent study, catch per net in the Bay was 8.2 to 130.4 kilograms in 1985 which dropped to 1.43 to 25 kilograms by 2005. Giving permission to too many trawlers without conducting any fish stock survey is thought to be a major reason for such decline. Currently, 146 trawling licences exist with the present government issuing 34, which fishermen think are way too many for sustainable harvesting of fish.
Wonder what kinda ship is it gonna be?
Damn another patrol aircraft
....
