Dhaka protests at UN against Yangon claim

Maritime Boundary
Dhaka protests at UN against Yangon claim
Similar protest against Indian claim soon
Bangladesh has sent a ‘diplomatic protest note’ to the United Nations against the claims of Myanmar over the extended ‘continental shelf’ in the Bay of Bengal while it will register such protest against the sea boundary claims of India soon.
On behalf of Foreign Minister Dipu Moni who is now in India on an official visit, Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad yesterday informed parliament about the government’s move to establish Bangladesh’s claim over the maritime boundary.
Myanmar and India made their submissions to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) on December 16, 2008 and May 11, 2009.
Both the countries’ claims encompassed undersea basins that fall within Bangladesh’s Exclusive Economic Zone, a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, that stretches up to 200 nautical miles (370km) from its coast.
Bangladesh, India and Myanmar have the sharing over the Bay of Bengal.
In reply to lawmakers’ queries, the information minister said Bangladesh would submit its claims to the CLCS on the limit of the continental shelf by July 2011.
Bangladesh would have to submit its claims to the UN CLCS over 150 nautical miles (277km) or more area beyond 200 nautical miles of the extended continental shelf in the Bay of Bengal by July 27, 2011.
The minister said the government has also been negotiating with the two neighbouring countries to resolve the maritime and other disputes through bilateral discussions.
In reply to another query of BNP lawmaker Harunur Rashid whether India has claimed 32,000 square km areas within the maritime boundary of Bangladesh to the UN, the minister said the CLCS will give final recommendations after justifying claims of India and Myanmar.
“So, there is no scope to say that India has claimed 32,000 square km within the maritime boundary of Bangladesh before the United Nations makes final recommendations on the issue,” the minister said.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni in scripted answers to lawmakers’ queries informed the parliament that the government has moved to create a new post titled ‘Inspector General of Missions’ (IGM) to oversee the activities of foreign missions to protect country’s interests.
In the scripted answer, the foreign minister said process is also underway to appoint necessary manpower for the office of IGM.
Besides, Dipu said steps have been taken to set up a new sub-division to strengthen the consular and welfare department of the foreign ministry.
She said the government has decided to open missions in Sudan and Sierra Leon and reopen the activities of the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The ministry has also taken initiatives to protect interests of the Bangladeshi citizens living abroad, she added.
The foreign minister said Tk 261 crore was spent in last financial year to run the foreign offices abroad.
The foreign minister said efforts are on to bring back the killers of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She said killers of Bangabandhu are hiding in different countries but she declined to give the whereabouts of the killers.
Dipu Moni said the home ministry has already been asked to revive the taskforce formed in 1996 for bringing the killers of Bangabandhu back home. “All out efforts can be made in coordination with other agencies once the taskforce is revived,” the minister added.

Courtesy of The Daily Star