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Cabinet approves draft ‘Maritime Zones Act’ with life term for piracy
The government has approved in principle a draft of the “Bangladesh Maritime Zones Act 2019” with a provision on up to life term punishment of pirates.
Published : 25 Nov 2019, 04:29 PM
Updated : 25 Nov 2019, 04:46 PM
The cabinet gave the approval in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office on Monday.
The rights of Bangladesh for exclusive economic zone over 200 nautical miles and its sovereign rights over 350 nautical miles in the continental shelf of the sea will be established once the law is passed, according to Cabinet Secretery Khandker Anwarul Islam.
“Besides this, Bangladesh will be able to control illegal activities hampering naval traffic security along with piracy, maritime terrorism, marine pollution and other crimes committed at sea,” he told reporters.
A section of the draft law states that whoever commits an act of piracy and maritime terrorism at sea shall be punished with imprisonment for life.
If the accused causes death or attempt to murder someone in committing the act of piracy, he offender may be punished with death, the cabinet secretary said.
An attempt to commit piracy, maritime terrorism or any unlawful attempt intended to aid, abet, counsel or procure for the commission of an offence of piracy shall also constitute as an offence.
Such offence will be liable on conviction to be punished with imprisonment for maximum 14 years or fines or both.
This act will be applicable to punish crimes committed on any foreign ship passing through the territorial sea and arrest the offender, Anwarul said.
Bangladesh passed the Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act, 1974 to demark the maritime zones of the country and explore marine resources during Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s tenure.
It then signed the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1982.
The cabinet secretary said the government tasked the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with drafting a new law by amending the previous one.
It will be placed in cabinet for final approval after vetting by the law ministry.
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