Dhaka stakes its claims to continental shelf in Bay
Shahidul Islam Chowdhury
Bangladesh on Friday submitted its claim to the United Nations in New York on the countrys legitimate authority over 450 nautical miles from the coastline in the Bay of Bengal, the Bangladesh ambassador and permanent representative to UN, AK Abdul Momen, told New Age over phone Friday night.
Foreign minister Dipu Moni was present at the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (UNCLCS) and handed over Bangladeshs position paper for demarcating the outer limits of its continental shelf at about 11:15am New York time, he said.
According to the UN Convention on the Seas, 1982, she told the parliament on February 24 that the area Bangladesh is claiming is expanded to 400-460 nautical miles from its coastline.
The cabinet approved the position paper prepared by the UNCLCS wing of the foreign ministry at a meeting on February 2 in Dhaka.
When asked about the method that the government followed in its claim over authority in the sea, M Khurshed Alam, the foreign ministrys additional secretary for the UNCLCS wing, told New Age on February 2, The document was prepared following the Gardiner method under Article 76 of the UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas].
Gardiner Line is a method for determining the outer limit of the continental shelf by connecting points established using the sediment formula. This formula was originally proposed by Gardiner of Ireland and is reflected in Article 76 of UNCLOS.
A country is supposed to enjoy its rights to fishing and exploring and extracting other marine resources in its 1224 nautical miles of
territorial sea from the coastline, 200 nautical miles of exclusive economic zone and a maximum 350 nautical miles of continental shelf from the baseline.
Bangladesh, which is the 53rd country in the world making the claim, submitted its proposal five months ahead of the schedule.
Bangladesh is scheduled to submit a memorandum to the UN body claiming its legitimate authority over its territorial waters adjacent to Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal by July 1. Myanmar is scheduled to submit its memorandum by December 1.
Bangladesh is also scheduled to submit a memorandum to the UN body claiming its legitimate authority over its territorial waters adjacent to India in the Bay of Bengal by May 31, 2011. India is scheduled to submit its memorandum by May 31, 2012.
Bangladesh has, however, long-standing disputes with India and Myanmar on the issue of starting point on how to mark the coastline to draw its marine boundary, with apparently overlapping claims of the three neighbouring countries because of the funnel-like coastline of the Bay of Bengal.
In 2009, Bangladesh registered its objections with the United Nations regarding the claims of India and Myanmar to its territorial waters in the Bay of Bengal.
The Bangladesh government, however, kept open options for an amicable settlement of the disputes although it has sought UN involvement in the matter, the foreign minister, Dipu Moni, said.
The cases have been referred to the international tribunal as fall-back positions as a safeguard if no satisfactory results would come out of bilateral negotiations, she said.
The United Nations Convention on Law of the Seas spells out a legal framework for the oceans by creating maritime zones like the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf.
Under the UN provision, no claims submitted by a country should be taken for final consideration before settling the objection raised by a neighbouring country, which might have overlapping claims.
New Age | Newspaper
Shahidul Islam Chowdhury
Bangladesh on Friday submitted its claim to the United Nations in New York on the countrys legitimate authority over 450 nautical miles from the coastline in the Bay of Bengal, the Bangladesh ambassador and permanent representative to UN, AK Abdul Momen, told New Age over phone Friday night.
Foreign minister Dipu Moni was present at the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (UNCLCS) and handed over Bangladeshs position paper for demarcating the outer limits of its continental shelf at about 11:15am New York time, he said.
According to the UN Convention on the Seas, 1982, she told the parliament on February 24 that the area Bangladesh is claiming is expanded to 400-460 nautical miles from its coastline.
The cabinet approved the position paper prepared by the UNCLCS wing of the foreign ministry at a meeting on February 2 in Dhaka.
When asked about the method that the government followed in its claim over authority in the sea, M Khurshed Alam, the foreign ministrys additional secretary for the UNCLCS wing, told New Age on February 2, The document was prepared following the Gardiner method under Article 76 of the UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas].
Gardiner Line is a method for determining the outer limit of the continental shelf by connecting points established using the sediment formula. This formula was originally proposed by Gardiner of Ireland and is reflected in Article 76 of UNCLOS.
A country is supposed to enjoy its rights to fishing and exploring and extracting other marine resources in its 1224 nautical miles of
territorial sea from the coastline, 200 nautical miles of exclusive economic zone and a maximum 350 nautical miles of continental shelf from the baseline.
Bangladesh, which is the 53rd country in the world making the claim, submitted its proposal five months ahead of the schedule.
Bangladesh is scheduled to submit a memorandum to the UN body claiming its legitimate authority over its territorial waters adjacent to Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal by July 1. Myanmar is scheduled to submit its memorandum by December 1.
Bangladesh is also scheduled to submit a memorandum to the UN body claiming its legitimate authority over its territorial waters adjacent to India in the Bay of Bengal by May 31, 2011. India is scheduled to submit its memorandum by May 31, 2012.
Bangladesh has, however, long-standing disputes with India and Myanmar on the issue of starting point on how to mark the coastline to draw its marine boundary, with apparently overlapping claims of the three neighbouring countries because of the funnel-like coastline of the Bay of Bengal.
In 2009, Bangladesh registered its objections with the United Nations regarding the claims of India and Myanmar to its territorial waters in the Bay of Bengal.
The Bangladesh government, however, kept open options for an amicable settlement of the disputes although it has sought UN involvement in the matter, the foreign minister, Dipu Moni, said.
The cases have been referred to the international tribunal as fall-back positions as a safeguard if no satisfactory results would come out of bilateral negotiations, she said.
The United Nations Convention on Law of the Seas spells out a legal framework for the oceans by creating maritime zones like the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf.
Under the UN provision, no claims submitted by a country should be taken for final consideration before settling the objection raised by a neighbouring country, which might have overlapping claims.
New Age | Newspaper
