This document discusses the maritime boundary of Bangladesh, including its prospects and challenges. It provides background on Bangladesh's maritime boundaries with India and Myanmar, which were disputed but then settled through agreements and international tribunals. The prospects of Bangladesh's maritime boundaries include economic opportunities in fisheries, shipping, tourism, oil and gas extraction, and marine biotechnology. However, there are also challenges such as ensuring sovereignty over the coastal area, maintaining security and infrastructure, sustainable management of resources, and addressing issues like pollution and climate change impacts. Overall, establishing clear maritime boundaries is important for Bangladesh's security and economic development, but proper utilization and management of the resources will also be needed.

1. MARITIME BOUNDARY OF
BANGLADESH
PROSPECTS & CHALLENGES

2. SUBMITTED TO
MIZANUL HOQUE
Lecturer
Department of Law
Port City International University.
GROUP MEMBERS:
MD SOHEL KHAN
Department of Textile Engineering
Port City International University.

3. Contents
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
PROSPECTS
CHALLENGES
CONCLUSION

4. Introduction
• Maritime boundary is the division of the water surface of
the planet into maritime areas of contribution that are
defined through surrounding physical geography or by
human geography. It is also called the borders of a
maritime nation and is recognized by the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
• Maritime boundaries exist in the context of territorial
waters; which indicates 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers;
14 miles) from the baseline, the coastal states are free
to set laws, regulate and use any resource of Contiguous
zones, Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), Continental
Shelf and High Sea (UNCLOS: 1983).

6. Background
• The maritime delimitation of the Bay forms
the subject of a long running dispute
between three states: India, Bangladesh
and Myanmar.

7. Continued
Bangladesh and Myanmar
 In 1974, the Myanmar and Bangladesh signed “Agreed
Minutes” delimiting the maritime boundary in the
territorial sea. Bangladesh submits that the Parties have
conducted themselves in accordance with that boundary.
 In 1974, Bangladesh also passed legislation delimiting
territorial sea, EEZ and continental shelf boundaries with
India and Myanmar constituted by parallel lines
extending southward along meridians of longitude
 “Friendship Line” -Bangladesh submits that between
1979 and 2005, Myanmar’s conduct was in accordance
with a proposed EEZ and continental shelf boundary in
the Bay of Bengal.

8. Continued
• Bangladesh and India
 Though the Tribunal in Hamburg awarded 111,631 sq km
area of the Bay of Bengal to Bangladesh; some part of it was
claimed by India on a 162 degree azimuth line from the
mouth of Hariabhanga estuary.
 We argued on natural prolongation stated as per article 76 of
UNCLOS III on the basis of bathymetric map of the Bengal
depositional system.
 The verdict given by the PCA in The Hague on maritime
disputes between India & Bangladesh, on 7 July 2014.
According to the verdict, Bangladesh lost 6,135 sq km only,
out of India’s claim on 25,602 sq km of area.

9. Prospects
 30 million Bangladeshi directly depend on oceanic
economic activities like fisheries and commercial
transportation.
 Bangladesh's economy is sea borne to a good extent
and with $130 billion GDP the country's economy stands
the 44th
.
 Globally 350 million jobs are linked to marine fisheries,
with 90 per cent of fishers living in developing countries.
The value of fish traded by developing countries is
estimated at $25 billion, making it their largest single
trade item. Global catch rose from four million tones in
1900 to 86.7 million tones in 2000, but has stagnated
subsequently.

10. Continued
 International tourism has grown from 25 million in 1950 and
1,035 million in 2012 and WTO forecasts of 1.8 billion
further growth in 2030.
 The global market for marine biotechnology products and
processes is currently estimated at $2.8 billion by 2017.
Marine biotech has the potential to address a suite of global
challenges such as sustainable food supplies, human
health, energy security and environmental remediation.
 Eighty per cent of global trade by volume, and over 70 per
cent by value, is carried by sea and handled by ports
worldwide. For developing countries these percentages are
typically higher.

11. Continued
 In 2009 offshore fields account for 32 per cent of worldwide
crude oil production and this is projected to rise to 34 per cent
in 2025 and higher subsequently, as almost half the
remaining recoverable conventional oil is estimated to be in
offshore fields a quarter of that in deep water.
 At present, around 600 ships arrive in Bangladesh per year
and anchor in the ports of Chittagong and Mongla. With this
new opening of Blue Economy, obviously, a huge number of
ships will anchor in the ports of Bangladesh, and earning
from this sector is likely to increase tremendously.

12. Challenges
Whatever we gain is unquestionably positive for
Bangladesh. Having said this, the prime concern is how
much we will be able to utilize our sea bed resources.
The prime challenges of Maritime Boundary of
Bangladesh are given below:
 Ensuring the sovereignty over the total coastal area.
 Maintaining the security over the economic area.
 Establishing marine friendly infrastructure for marine
tourist
 The country's policies on maritime issues need to have
proper continuity. It is important to give the international
community a strong message about our national
priorities with regard to maritime and related issues.

13.  Sustainable use of biodiversity.
 Maintaining marine and coastal ecosystems.
 Preserving mangrove and sea grass.
 Maintaining sea level rise and change in ecosystem and
temperatures, from coral bleaching.
 Addressing ocean acidification and blue carbon.
 Keeping the sea area free from pollution and marine debris.
Continued

14. Conclusion
To sum up, we would like to term the verdict of maritime
demarcation as the peaceful settlement of a long term
dispute between Bangladesh and its neighboring
countries. The outcome of these cases is a balanced one
where neither party won or lost completely. It is the
success of both countries and the victory of international
law. It can also be taken as our geo-political victory
because by this verdict we have got absolute sovereignty
on 12 nm from the sea baseline which is strategically most
important in South Asian region. Whatever we have, we
are not able to consume maximum of it because of our
technological and strategic weaknesses. Proper utilization
of our natural resources is the demand of the time.

15. THANK YOU