Country finally gets 19,467sq km in Bay
Bangladesh has finally gained some 19,467 square kilometres of maritime areas at the Bay of Bengal out of the disputed 25,602 square kilometres with neighbouring India.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali officially briefed about the verdict of an international court at a press conference at the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday afternoon.
Former Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, also Bangladesh agent, and State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam were present.
"This verdict is the victory of friendship and also the victory of the people of both Bangladesh and India. It’s a win-win solution for the people of Bangladesh and India because it has been finally resolved peacefully," said Mahmood Ali.
With this verdict, he said, the wide access of Bangladesh beyond 200 nautical miles at the Bay of Bengal would be protected.
The Foreign Minister also extended his thanks to the Indian government for accepting the verdict.
Mahmood Ali said the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), dealing with Bay of Bengal maritime boundary arbitration between Bangladesh and India, sustained Bangladesh’s claims of equitable solution to a full 200 nautical-mile exclusive economic zone in the Bay and to a substantial share of the extended continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles.
Earlier, on Monday, the government received the copy of the verdict on maritime boundary dispute between Bangladesh and India.
On December 18, the PAC constituted in the matter of the Bay of Bengal maritime boundary arbitration between Bangladesh and India concluded its hearing on the merits.
The hearing was held from December 9 to December 18, 2013 at the Peace Palace in the Hague. On December 9, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Attorney General of India Goolam E Vahanvati made opening statements on behalf of the parties.
Following the opening statements, Bangladesh agent Dipu Moni made introductory remarks.
On December 16, the Deputy Agent of Bangladesh and Secretary, Maritime Affairs Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rear Admiral (retd) Mohammad Khurshed Alam concluded Bangladesh’s second round of oral arguments.
Over the course of the hearing, the parties have presented their positions on certain key issues relating to the maritime boundary between the two states, including the location of the land boundary terminus between them, the delimitation of the territorial sea, the Exclusive Economic Zone, and the Continental Shelf within and beyond 200nm.
On October 8, 2009, Bangladesh instituted arbitral proceedings concerning the delimitation of the maritime boundary between Bangladesh and India pursuant to Article 287 and Annex VII, Article 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The Parties have subsequently exchanged written pleadings. In October 2013, the Arbitral Tribunal also conducted a site visit to relevant areas of the Bay of Bengal.