The demarcation of the maritime boundary of Bangladesh has paved the way to develop our maritime wealth that includes, oil exploration, vast fisheries resources and many more minerals. Bangladesh will now be able to attract international oil companies to explore the deep sea for oil and gas. Past efforts in this regard did not get much response from oil companies due to the maritime disputes with Myanmar and India. But Bangladesh will have to redesign six offshore oil and gas exploration blocks bordering Indian waters before going for a fresh bid for oil and gas blocks.
With these undisputed waters in hand, Bangladesh can also tap their deep sea fish resources.
At present, wooden boats can go up to 20 nautical miles and motorized trawlers up to another 20 nautical miles. “The total collection of fish from the Bay is around 6 million tons annually. Of this, we share only 0.29 million tons,” as per Rear Admiral (retd) Khurshed Alam, secretary of the maritime affairs unit of the foreign ministry.
Now with the 200 nautical miles of exclusive economic zone, the potentials are enormous. Bangladesh’s full access to high seas out to 200 nautical miles and beyond is now guaranteed as are our undisputed rights to fishing in our waters and the natural resources beneath our seabed. The international court verdict ensured Bangladesh more than 1, 18,813 sq. km of waters comprising territorial sea, exclusive economic zone and also undeniable sovereign rights in the seabed extending as far as 354NM from the Chittagong coast in the Bay.
The Prime Minister, the Fisheries ministry along with other prominent players in the government should use our full resources including proper training of the cadets in the Fisheries Academy in Chittagong to explore and enjoy the vast fisheries wealth. Presently Cadets for the Fisheries Academy (run by the Fisheries ministry) vie for the same jobs the Bangladesh Marine Academy (run by Shipping Ministry) cadets are seeking, making it harder for the job seekers in the oceangoing commercial vessels. Jobs are rare these days. Instead of harvesting fish, the cadets of the Fisheries Academy are being diverted to other jobs by the manning agents and other man-power establishments. This matter should be taken up by the Prime Minister herself as her advisors are not giving her the right information.
