India’s dominance established: BNP

The BNP has said the verdict on disputed maritime boundaries has established India’s dominance over the Bay of Bengal economic zone.

Former water resources minister and BNP Vice Chairman M Hafizuddin Ahmed said on Tuesday, after the verdict was issued, that he had “noticed some inconsistencies” in it.

He also expressed frustration that Bangladesh had not gained control of the Talpatti Island. The island was found to have disappeared in 2010.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at the Netherlands issued the verdict on Monday.

The tribunal awarded Bangladesh 19,467 sq km of area out of the estimated total disputed area of 25,602 sq km.

Hafizuddin said Bangladesh had not gained unequivocal control over the exclusive economic zone in the Bay.

“Bangladesh got 177.3 degrees. Justice would have been to give us 180 degrees,” Hafizuddin said.

“We believe Bangladesh did not get its rights over the exclusive economic zone. On the other hand India has gained dominance over the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf. It is inconsistent,” he said.

“Since President Ziaur Rahman’s time, we have claimed the right over Talpatti Island. But in this verdict the island has not fallen within our boundaries,” he added.

South Talpatti, which was located south of Satkhira in the Bay, no longer exists, but the part of the sea where it was located has fallen under India’s territory.

The verdict awarded Bangladesh 118,813 sq km of territorial sea, an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles, and sovereign rights of resources in the continental shelf up to 345 nautical miles off the coast of Chittagong.

India has accepted the verdict.